Build Gibraltar

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BuildGibraltar

P r op er ty Dev elo pm en t & Investment

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01 Gibraltar’s information tool for the Construction Industry

BUENA VISTA PARK VILLAS

www.buildgibraltar.com

D ECOR Shaping The Future Preserving Our Heritage Conserving The Environment Building Our Community

A construction company focused on delivering progressive solutions and technologies for the 21st century.

Our innovative approach maintains a unique balance between the built, the historical and the natural to meet the needs of our community.

www.decor-construction.net

contents

Complimentary Copy

BuildGibraltar

P ro pe rty De ve lopm e nt & I nve s tm e nt

Issue

01 Gibraltar’s information tool for the Construction Industry

I S S U E 01

BUENA VISTA PARK VILLAS

TOURISM 06 08 14

14

Pursuing five-star service in a unique location

Build Gibraltar Team

The Upper Rock Redevelopment

Julian Byrne (Editor/MD)

Colonising renovation with a modern flair

Yewhung Chin (Graphic Design/Branding)

CONSTRUCTION 16 22 26

Profile on Profield Ltd

From Welder to Entrepreneur Building Gibraltar upwards and onwards

John Culatto (Journalist) Ciaran Mullen (Media Sales/Publisher) Karen Brierley (Advert Co-ordinator)

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS John Bromfield (p26), Jason Cisarello (p68) Nicholas Culatto (p60), Christina Marxx (p76) & Sarah Miles (p74)

CASE STUDY 28

www.buildgibraltar.com

Gun Wharf Marine Station

DISCLAIMER No part of this publication may be reproduced without the wirtten permission

GOvernment of gibraltar 28

36 40 46 48

The Hon Joesph J Bossano

of the publishers. The Publishers and the Editor have made every effort to ensure that all of the information within this publication is accurate, but emphasise

Interview with the Town Planner

that they cannot accept responsibility for

Building a new Gibraltar

any errors or omissions. The Publishers

Land Property Services

and the Editor accept no responsibility for statements made by contributors or for any claim made through advertisements

infrastructure 50 54 58

62

Small boat Marina

Gibtelecom & developers New High-Tech gas power station

residential 62 68

published in this magazine.

Buena Vista Park Villas Decor Construction Ltd

BuildGibraltar for editorial contributions or feature editorialS. email:

editorial@buildgibraltar.com

commercial 78 80

World Trade Center Mid Town Project

BuildGibraltar Involved in the Construction industry? promote your company HERE.

80

contact us on +350 200 65225 mediasales@pdg.gi

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 3

40%

have turned to a competitor after a bad mobile experience.

Is your website mobile ready?

Mobile usage is growing dramatically, by the end of this year more people will use mobile phones than PCs to get online.

Make sure your clients are not looking elsewhere.

piranha designs .com +350 200 45599 | info@piranhadesigns.com G I B R A LT A R - L O N D O N - E D I N B U R G H

GIBRALTAR

Buena Vista Park Villas

LUXURY LIVING IN A EUROPEAN LOCATION WITH OVER 300 DAYS OF SUNSHINE PER YEAR

GIBRALTAR BUENA VISTA PARK VILLAS is a luxury private gated development in the South district of Gibraltar.

Phase three includes 3 exclusive townhouses and 8 unique villas, with extensive customisation options, in terms of internal layouts and finishes.

All properties will have amazing sea views across the bay of Gibraltar towards Spain and across the Straits of Gibraltar to North Africa. One of the few places in the world that offers views of two continents.

Due for completion in 2017.

Townhouses from £1,850,000 Villas from £2,900,000

For more information contact:

Robert Martin Sales Manager BV Homes Ltd

Tel: +350 200 65825 Email: Robert@BVhomes.gi

www.buenavistaparkvillas.com

Tourism

Caleta Hotel

Pursuing five-star service in a unique location The Caleta Hotel has long been an iconic symbol of Gibraltar’s tourist industry, it’s silhouette casting a long shadow across the quintessential fishing village of Catalan Bay, as first light breaks over the eastern seaboard on those warm summer mornings in August.

It’s inspiring unobstructed sea views spreading as far as the eye can see bear witness to an unrivalled position on the Rock, speaking volumes about its cosy location on the cliffface. Yet soon it will be far from lonely, as a new £48 million redevelopment will see a five-star hotel, apartments and encasing of the old building, making its 50th anniversary the beginning of a whole new chapter in the brand’s lifespan.

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“What we are building is a separate structure of 3,500m2 to the north of the existing Caleta Hotel over what are now our kitchen, maintenance and housekeeping departments overlooking Catalan Bay,” said Franco Ostuni, Caleta Hotel General Manager. “The building is superimposed on top of what is the existing Hotel’s back of house areas adding one extra floor on top of the current building. The new, completely independent 41-suite five-star hotel will have separate access, reception, restaurant, bar, swimming pool and 55 indoor parking spaces facing the Rock.”

“The same exterior of the five-star hotel will create an envelope around the old building, making it look architecturally like one structure when in effect they will both be completely separate and independent. The synergy between the two hotels will be the administration, reservations and housekeeping departments (everything the public does not see) which will be shared between them while all client facilities remain exclusive to each establishment.”

Multi-accommodation The land on which the new project will be built has always been part of the Caleta Hotel lease but an extra plot bought in 1998 could host five luxury houses. As a further part of the redevelopment, the south wing of the current hotel containing 58 rooms will be demolished to make way for 57 apartments of one, two, three and four bedrooms (15 of which will be kept by the hotel and the remainder sold) and another 240 car-park spaces.

“Effectively we will be able to offer a multi-accommodation centre between four-star, five-star and luxury-serviced apartments. This is not new to the industry, as you see many of these complexes around the world nowadays. But it’s completely novel to Gibraltar as it seeks to cater for the needs of a different market.”

He asserted this was in line with “trying to diversify the various market segments that Gibraltar is enjoying at the moment, and the projection and forecast for the future of a need for more exclusive five-star facilities.”

Ostuni reminded us that Gibraltar is competing with every other destination in the Mediterranean so following its own trend it needs to be “extremely competitive in the leisure four-star market”, while striving for more sophistication, better service, quality and facilities for the five-star corporate sector. No longer could the management seek to serve the requirements of two very different markets under the same roof, even with the variety of outlets and restaurants housed in the present edifice.

The original Caleta Hotel first opened in 1964, the south wing added in the 1970s to encompass the need for extra bedrooms. Ostuni himself has been at the hotel for 16 years, during which he has seen the hotel grow from an occupancy point of view, changing from being aimed at the leisure market during his first years at the helm back in 1999, to add in the corporate angle because of the lack of buoyancy of that very natural first orientation. The addition of the conference centre was at first perceived to be an erroneous move as many saw its location to be unfit for the business community but, that the Hotel enjoys today a business mix which is 50% corporate and 50% leisure is a testament to its success.

achieved. It’s different from managing a hotel in the centre of London, Paris or Madrid where every day is pretty much the same and the market is not changing very much.”

GROWTH The battle for hotel occupancy is truly under-way but Ostuni believes that everybody can acquire a fair chunk of a market because each establishment is different in its own right in terms of style, feel and location. He believes the hospitality market has finally got it right in regards to customer service. “When you look at Gibraltar hotels alongside other destinations via our grading scheme run by the British-based AA, Gibraltar compares very favourably,” said Ostuni.

While on the one hand, the Italian said that Gibraltarians will tend to be very critical of our own customer service, in Spain they will accept lower standards of service and never even think twice about it. “I once saw a local family eating on a table at an angle with two legs on the pavement and two others on the street.”

“However, we do need to improve our customer care within the Gibraltar experience. The spectrum is much wider than just hotels and restaurants so we need to think about the transport experience, points of entry, information desks and how we can raise our standards overall.”

To this end, access is paramount to increasing occupancy in hotels and for this reason that establishing new air links is so important.

“The only way Gibraltar can increase occupancy and support more hotel stock is by developing air links from new markets like Scotland, Germany, Italy or Switzerland,” said Ostuni. “The good news is that with the introduction of the Bristol flights in April, we are laying the foundations for increased demand for the future which can only bode well for the tourism sector as a whole.”

“Gibraltar is a completely different place to what it was 15 or even ten years ago,” said the Italian-born General Manager. “That’s why I’m probably still here; it’s evolving very dynamically and I still come to the hotel everyday with the same enthusiasm I used to as there’s still a lot of things to be

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Tourism

Re-invigorating the Upper Rock; striking the delicate balance between conservation and tourism While Gibraltar’s construction industry is undergoing major change across both private and public sectors, it seems logical that one of Gibraltar’s economic mainstays should also keep updating and reinventing itself. The Gibraltar Tourist Board (GTB) are keen to explore new ways of keeping Gibraltar interesting and compelling, without spoiling a product which makes much of the Rock’s military history.

It is with this in mind that a number of trails within the Gibraltar Nature Reserve have been examined to see how they could be reinvigorated for the benefit of locals and tourists alike.

Paths like Royal Anglian Way are considered to be “hidden gems” by Stephen Warr, Senior Environment Officer from the Department of the Environment who believes that such initiatives have much to offer to today’s tourists.

“Most Gibraltarians don’t even know about them so we are developing a mobile app which will guide you through all the different trails,” he said. “The app contains information of historical information or monuments along the paths, as well as Gibraltar’s natural environment like birds, reptiles and the few mammals that we have.”

The app is seen as the best way to guide trekkers along these paths, with a calorie-counter included in it if they want to find out how fit they are getting in the process.

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Conservation This change of direction in marketing Gibraltar’s tourism product comes with a whole new effort to re-brand the Nature Reserve in conjunction with the GTB to make it more appealing to the 850,000 visitors to the Rock each year and to attract extra tourists in the years ahead. “We’ve designed a new logo and changed the design of all the signage, to take in the fact that the Nature Reserve has been extended so the app will now take in the Northern Defences, Europa foreshore, Eastside sand-slopes and Jacob’s Ladder as well as the Upper Rock,” continued Warr stressing his enthusiasm for nature protection. “In terms of the sandslopes what we want to do is keep the site as intact as possible and therefore we do not intend to attract visitors to the site at all. Quite the contrary, we are using it as one of the sites for the reintroduction of the Barbary Partridge, as numbers of the national bird have declined recently.”

The slopes, which were once covered with water catchments for civilian use, are particularly brilliant in spring, when the wild flowers blossom in an area which was subject to a reseeding programme when the corrugated sheets were removed. Attempts are currently being made to firm up the slopes using native as opposed to invasive species, so the balance can be kept on the eastern side of the Rock.

“The problem with having visitors to this area is that there are regular rockfalls which are a real issue,” said Warr. “The sand-slopes are therefore included as a separate component, protecting the site from being developed.”

Attractions Although work on the app has been steady, the amount of information involved slowed its progress, its release in spring alongside the Gibraltar Nature Reserve’s new management plan being a big boost to the four trails being revamped.

“There’s the history buff trail, an adventure trail that includes the Mediterranean Steps, a monkey trail and the last one going from Europa foreshore through the back of Windmill Hill. All this is linked with Gibraltar’s bid to become a World Heritage Site,” said Stephen “The Royal Anglian Way trail has been totally revamped after more than a year of work there.

Its key feature will be a rope bridge from one pinnacle to another so that will be quite impressive to walk. However, it’s not for the faint-hearted being right above the gorge!”

An education and interpretation facility is set to be located at Mount Misery near the top of the Rock, with a transparent viewing platform to be placed on the cliff-side, which will be an attraction in itself similar to that deployed at a mountain range in China.

To compliment this series of improvements, the GTB has been working on completing a number of improvements over the last year to get the rest of our tourist attractions in a better shape for this year’s tourist season.

“I’m very pleased with the way that we work together with our colleagues in the Department of the Environment and that we continue to improve, not only to give our visitors more when they’re here, but also to be respectful of the environment,” said Nicky Guerrero, Chief Executive of the GTB. “The more eco-tourism we have adds to the uniqueness we have as a tourism destination and it maximises product value.”

Suyenne Catania, GTB Senior Product Manager, said these updates were in conjunction with the Board’s own work: “In the Great Siege Tunnels last year to complement the information panels we introduced more mannequins to give the area a more authentic feel and we opened Holyland Tunnel which had been closed for a few years”

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 9

Towards the end of the tunnels is George’s Hall which is now being finished with new imitation gun carriages being built and they now point out of the windows in the way they originally were positioned. Background sounds and an interactive panel for children will be provided to be able to play games while learning about the history of the place interactively. Cornwallis Chamber (located below the Great Siege Tunnels and accessed via the main Tunnel) will be opened to the public, with a new stairway being built in conjunction with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust to be ready in May. “These improvements have given a completely different character to the Great Siege Tunnels making them a good visitor attraction,” said Suyenne.

Surveillance Meanwhile the opening of O’Hara’s Battery (on the southern end of the top of the Rock) has been hindered by the weather and vandalism, so the GTB is engaged in renovating the area, paying particular attention to detail such as removing the layers of paint from the brass and polishing it up and restoring much of the machinery. Information panels and a ten-minute documentary will explain how the 9.2 inch gun situated at this, the highest point on the Rock, worked, and the consequent historical military activity around the site.

Another area being improved and secured is the City Under Siege exhibit, with it being one of those sites equipped with CCTV cameras. “As it is open, we experience most vandalism at this site and have to work closely with Heritage on how best to make the site secure without affecting its historical,” said Suyenne. “We have refurbished its entrance and created a picnic area. A short documentary will also be shown in one of the vaults. Over the last few years we have worked to improve the sites, including the refurbishment of the interior and exterior of St Michael’s Cave to include an accessible lift and a new sound and lighting system. As part of the programme we have constructed more toilets at various sites, which has meant digging hard rock with extremely old infrastructure to lay new piping.”

All the work that is undertaken is arranged in conjunction with the Department of the Environment and the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, especially with the World Heritage Site bid encompassing the Mediterranean Steps all the way down to Gorham’s Cave. If Gibraltar achieves this status, said Nicky Guerrero, it would be “a wonderful accolade” to the work conducted by the Museum team and said it would clearly open up new markets.

“Our aim is to continue to promote Gibraltar as the most unique short break destination in the Mediterranean so anything our colleagues can do to provide more for our visitors to see and enjoy when they’re here surely must help that,” he continued. “We’re very happy with the way we have progressed and with our relations with the local tourism

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industry, as we all have to communicate with our industry partners.”

He said that the work with the Department of the Environment was already yielding ample fruits: “Ours is to market Gibraltar and run the visitor attractions in a way that is sensitive to the environment and help us develop products to that end. But we also rely on the private sector to move people around when they’re here, to provide different products and services like accommodation, so we’re very pleased with the relationship we have with them and that they’re constantly communicating with us so we have a unified approach to the industry.”

Access In order to continue to develop tourism as a driver in the economy, Gibraltar needs more tourists and we have to find more ways to get them here. Guerrero said, “In the last few years, air services have increased with flights established with Birmingham and an increased capacity from Heathrow and Manchester and this spring two new routes have opened. On 29 March flights commenced to Tangier with onward service to Casablanca, while on 19 April we saw a new connection to Bristol, which opens an extensive new catchment area of the southwest of UK and Wales. “We are trying to the do the most we can to open up access to overnight markets which are very important to us. There are day visitors who can enjoy Gibraltar for a few hours, but our overnight visitors can enjoy our products and experiences for more than a day.”

In this light, Guerrero is pleased that the local hotels are investing in the upgrade of their facilities, and what they have to offer. “Along with us, they are very keen that the overnight market should grow for obvious reasons,” he told BG. “So we’re trying to attract more visitors to the Rock and to encourage the hotel sector to offer more products so visitors can stay even longer than just a night. It’s very important to get support from the industry and that they see we’re supporting them to improve our products and services simultaneously.”

One example of that co-operation is the pilot course that ran last year in conjunction with Oxford Brookes University to increase availability for training in the hospitality industry.

Guerrero continued: “While it is the companies themselves that have to invest in training, we try to lead by example.

Certainly our team are aware that being welcoming to our visitors and giving them a good impression is very important.

“If there is availability for the industry to become even more aware and improve on this, it’s great. The importance of customer care has become more evident the more we travel, as we try and see things from the visitor’s point of view and it inspires to replicate it locally. The levels here are better and certainly on a par with the main tourism destinations, but we are striving to raise our game all the time.”

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BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 13

Tourism

Colonising renovation with a modern flair One of the main aims of construction in Gibraltar has been to expand a tourist product that has blossomed in recent years with the development of its image in different aspects of business, a factor closely linked with the emerging luxury housing market.

So it is no coincidence that the Rock Hotel went under the knife recently to give it a major facelift, much in the same way as the Caleta is planning a major extension in the future. We exchanged a few words with softly spoken local boy done good Charles Danino about what were the goals behind the renovation and what steps could be taken to move forward in the future.

Charles described that “making guests feel at home while being sympathetic to Gibraltar’s heritage” was one of the main ideas behind the refurbishment: “Built in 1932 it had its glorious years with very well-known celebrities like Erol Flynn and Sir Alec Guinness becoming regular guests. This post-colonial flair is in the walls of the buildings and people come looking for it so in our old Barbary Bar, which has been refurbished to become our new restaurant, we kept all those pictures of Spitfires, the airport and the Bay of Gibraltar with 45 warships that everybody loves.”

The new design throughout the hotel reflects an element of that colonial feel, from the rooms themselves to the colours, choice of the actual furniture and fittings. While it has a touch of the contemporary, it respects the glorious period of Navy,

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Air Force and Army presence, especially as many of their family come back to relive that time. At the same time the hotel does not want to discourage the corporate market, so they tried to create a slick atmosphere with voiceover IP in all the rooms, complete HVAC, double-glazed windows and LED lighting.

Like the construction market itself, he said that more flights to this destination would be ideal, especially for the short-term leisure market: “Access is key to the business, occupancy and spreads throughout the year. We’ve got a very buoyant high season which goes from the middle of April to the middle of October. It’s the winter months when we obviously have a challenge so that requires new routes from Europe like Berlin and Paris. Then we would be able to target the mice and conferencing markets which would help us in low season.”

In this spirit he applauds the beginning of the Bristol connection, adding that a conference centre on the Rock would be a great addition. He believes congresses and conventions could be held at such a facility along with other events which would need accommodation and corporate hospitality. On the other hand he doesn’t believe that the construction of the Caleta five-star hotel, the Holiday Inn Express or any new facilities at Eastside will harm his business but instead expects it to create “synergies” as “more of us will be selling the destination”. In this vein he advocates a proactive, structured PR campaign to lift Gibraltar’s image and sell it as a tourist destination and business centre.

Local connection Charles Danino only took up the post as general manager of the Rock Hotel after the CEO of Blands, John Perez, asked him to join the team a couple of years ago. As a youngster he completed his hotel and catering studies in Glasgow, Scotland, before going on to work in three premier hotel chains for the next 30 years starting with Hilton International followed

by Intercontinental and finishing off with Hind Hotels. This baggage of five-star experience in places like London, Milan and Rome gave him a suitable inception into the world of hospitality. So when the opportunity came to work at the Rock Hotel it was too good to miss and he grabbed it with both hands.

“My grandmother worked in the cleaning department here in 1951 so there is a connection there,” he said, from the plush recently refurbished surroundings of the Rock Hotel bar. “Then I did my school work experience at the Rock Hotel swimming pool buffet so it was like coming back to where it all started in more than one sense.”

On his return after so long away he believes that while local hotels have managed to offer an adequate service “they haven’t been updated to modern requirements, contemporary design, look and efficiencies”. He cited that the reasons for this could have been that the tourist industry was more linked to the forces and some leisure, with the main hotels in Gibraltar only taking on business from banks, gaming, law firms and shipping industries in the last 15-20 years.

This corporate market has since flooded the current hotel offering, with the arrival of the Sunborn only adding to the hospitality sector and helping to promote Gibraltar as a tourist, conferencing and leisure destination while aspiring to organising larger events.

The art of welcoming Charles Danino said that while the standard of service is good, it needs to be professionalised further: “It needs to be at a level that any travelling person that is acquainted with four or five-star hotels around the world will have their expectations met when they come here. Here at the Rock Hotel we believe we’ve got the product and for a number of months we’ve been working on service delivery, attention to detail, guest recognition, exceeding customer expectations, and giving it a bit of personalisation.”

He considers the building of the University of Gibraltar so close to his establishment as a “wonderful opportunity we should not miss” especially as there are plans for a school of hospitality onsite. “I am one of the examples along with other notable Gibraltarians to have taken this path so to be able to give the chance to others to come to this industry from a career perspective is a great opportunity because it is very vocational.” he said. “Whether they take any of the different specialisations or disciplines (be it reception, kitchen, sales and marketing or housekeeping) we can give a career opening to locals while hotels that are investing and developing can feed into the local supply.”

He said that the main quality he looks for in applicants was commitment to the job which starts with personal presentation and grooming and ends with an ability to work nights and weekends: “It’s a question of approach and attitude to customer service while making people feel comfortable and welcome. If you’ve got that to start off with, the sky’s the limit. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my own experience in this industry and have been to places like Bali or Bangkok where as a director of a sister hotel I got treated like a king with a fantastic suite and a personal welcome. That makes me feel I took the right decision to work in this industry.”

He feels Gibraltar’s location with its fabulous Mediterranean climate makes it a prime location for hotel and residential developments alike. “There are very few places that have these mesmerising sunsets with such a hive of activity in its bay. We’ve got the location, the heritage, the push and the attraction of providing a new product to clients,” said Charles.

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construction

How a family-run business is adapting to a changing world Few companies have the reputation and historic permanence that Profield have established for over 25 years in general construction, design & build and major civil engineering contracts. We caught up with Adrian Summerfield, company director and contract manager, to ask him how his company was faring in today’s changing market.

“We’re a family-run company started in 1989 by my father who is now semi-retired,” said Summerfield who has now taken over the day-to-day running of the company. “As the contract manager I choose the team, overlook the quantity surveyor side of it and if it’s a design & build I outsource the design element of the works, be it architectural, engineering or M&E, as well as putting everything together at tender stage.”

He told us that with the private sector not moving as it used to, other companies were getting the lion’s share of the work and he was finding it difficult to get contracts. Previously Profield was contracted by Taylor Woodrow when they were here for ten years, carrying out the construction work for the Cliftons development, Highcliffe House, Grafton House and Filomena House.

Diversification “In the last three years we got the government tender for renovating Alameda Estate, refurbishing the government homes externally, hacking off the render and re-rendering them with an acrylic render system,” said Summerfield. “We refurbished the internal courtyards as well, doing two of those blocks in the past three years plus the Gun Wharf Marine Station, where we did marine work for the police including making the pontoons and carrying out piling in the sea and the building itself.”

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He said that in design & build projects they tend to be involved at the primary stage: “We normally get a full package from clients on a fully designed project with a price based on that design, or we can get employers’ requirements which are very basic drawings.”

It is this latter option where the design & build system is used that Profield takes these basic requirements and sub-contracts the designing part to architects who develop the project from there.

With the general building work running dry at the moment, the company has diversified and taken on civil engineering works. “A big project that we did in that respect was the rockfall canopy at the entrance of the tunnel at Dudley Ward Way,” said Summerfield. “It involved building a large concrete structure at the beginning of the tunnel and because of the original rockfall risk we had to put catchment fencing at a few critical places on the way up while the works were being carried out.”

The contract was awarded to Profield after the tragic death of Brian Navarro on 18 February 2002 who was killed by a rockfall while he was travelling by car with his father.

The tunnel was closed after the accident, only reopening to traffic after the stabilisation works had been completed on 2 November 2010 at a cost of £10.6 million to the Government.

“We also did a large concrete framework for GJBS at the Park and Ride carpark at the airport as a sub-contractor,” he continued. “At the moment we are doing sporadic jobs for the MoD constructor Interserve, including roofing, maintenance and a bit of building work as well as odd jobs like all the concrete work at the new Buena Vista Homes.”

Difficulties Summerfield feels that the toughest challenge in Gibraltar is the procurement of materials and labour. “Everything has to come from abroad,” he told BG. “It’s not like you’ve got 20 suppliers around you as in UK where you can choose and maybe buy things off the shelf straightaway. You need to order things, they need to come through, and then there’s the additional costs of transport and border charges.”

He said that factoring in all this extra legwork is a big challenge, as he often needs to go abroad to Germany, Portugal, UK, Spain or Italy to get the necessary materials for the projects he carries out locally.

Even when the materials eventually get here, storage is always an issue, he told BG: “You’ve got to bring it here in batches which increases the prices. That’s why in some instances big Spanish companies coming in, undercut the prices of local contractors and then find they can’t finish the jobs with the quotes given at tender stage.

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 17

which case the client would have the right to apply penalty clauses.

Optimistic

“They don’t know how to work in Gibraltar as they price their contracts with the rates they use in Spain. When they come here they find they don’t have space to store materials, so they have to bring things in batches. With all the problems at the frontier and the permits needed naturally the cost increases. Eventually, they leave things unfinished and a local company has to go in and finish the job for them.”

Our policy is to employ locals wherever these are available.

However at times, the local market does not cater for certain specialized skills required within the construction industry.

The difficulty then lies in that the contractor has to wait for a predetermined period before they are approved and therefore the process has the potential to delay completion dates in

For the future, Profield plans to continue refurbishment works from April this year at Alameda Estate for the Government with four blocks still to go. Although such a job is not complex, the Profield Director said it has its own challenges: “Because you’re working in a building people are actually living in, you need to be very careful and liaise with the residents to make sure they don’t get water ingress when you’re removing the buildings render, or roof waterproofing membrane, for example.”

“Then there’s another big project coming up for us in the Beautification of Castle Street,” Summerfield continued.

“We’ll be renovating the infrastructure and repaving the area.

“Things are getting harder, but we’ll have to roll with the punches. We’ve always offered a good service for any administration that has been in office. We’ve been through thick and thin for 26 years and with a little luck, we will be here for 26 more.”

Established Contractors

in Gibraltar

Profield contractors Ltd was constituted in 1989 and has been carrying out business as general building contractors in Gibraltar since then for major private clients and developers, as well as the Government of Gibraltar, including Design & Build projects and major Civil Engineering contracts.

T: (+350) 20043621 | E: management@profield.gi

95B Harbours Walk, The New Harbours, Gibraltar.

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www.profield.gi

Over 90 years' experience in International Building, Civil and Mechanical Engineering

At Colomendy, our goal is to save you time and money, without sacrificing on quality, by sourcing the right products delivered to you as quickly as possible and within budget.

Colomendy Limited was formed in May 1988 after the founders left high-level industry positions with major international multi-discipline contractors.

Over the last 27 years, the company has had a base in North Wales in The U.K. From this location procurement, design, shipping, documentation and “back-of- house” facilities are based.

Colomendy commenced operations in Gibraltar in 1988 and has sold materials, plant, specialist equipment, tools and services to every organization in the construction sector including all the utility companies, Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar and the M.o.D as well as their partners. One of the owners is Gibraltarian and both directors live in Gibraltar.

A local company was set up in 2004 to take advantage of the lack-lustre local interior finishes industry and to augment the major project supply-chain function carried-out.

Colomendy sell and distribute for major producers in Europe and have procured goods from all over The World for major contractors and professional teams.

Since it’s small beginnings, Colomendy Limited now supply to East and West Africa, Europe, The Caribbean, Mediterranean Islands, such as Malta and Cyprus, The middle-East (Oman, Saudi-Arabia and Qatar) plus many isolated locations where the overall procurement cost must be both competitive and on time for critical construction programmes.

In Gibraltar, Colomendy have been involved in all major and countless routine procurement assignments where cost, programme and quality are all needed without compromise.

Colomendy run their own “road-train” and warehousing operation in The U.K. where goods are consolidated, packed, as necessary, and shipped all over The World. The “road-train” operation is reserved for Colomendy clients only in Gibraltar and the rest of Europe. Our low costs reflect our low prices and efficiency.

In the rest of The World Colomendy Limited have been chosen for major sites such as the Panama Canal, Nigeria’s LNG project at Bonny Island and many Ministry of Defence procurement tasks of a strategic nature, Worldwide.

Colomendy carry significant and comprehensive insurance Policies to protect their clients’ goods should an accident or calamity befall the shipment process.

Colomendy House, London Road, Corwen, Denbighshire, LL21 0DR, UK

T: +44 (0) 1490 412041 F: +44 (0) 1490 413194 E: info@colomendy.co.uk

www.colomendy.co.uk

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 19

Gaggero Cemats Home and Building Supplies was created in 1972 via the fusion of Charles Gaggeron (Builder’s Merchants) Limited and Cemats Limited.

It is one of the largest builder’s merchants in Gibraltar and is a member of the Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) Group of Companies.

CONSTRUCTION As the leading supplier of building materials to the construction sector Gaggero-Cemats meets the challenge by having the capacity to stock a wide range of bricks, blocks, roofing materials, cement, aggregates and lintels. Our ability to supply heavy materials from stocks stored in our builder’s yard is essential for delivering our commitment to provide on demand

FLOORING Adding to the existing range of engineered, vinyl, carpet tile and laminate flooring is a new ceramic plank floor tile range that adds a quality look to any room.

Each class of flooring is supported with the tools and adhesives needed to complete the job.

TIMBER As Gibraltar’s principal Timber Merchants we stock a wide range of timber products that include treated timber, structural grade, planed timber, skirting, architraves, mouldings and sheet materials. In addition to our large range of “off-the-shelf” timber stocks we offer a timber panel cutting service for special orders.

DOORS Gaggero-Cemats stock a wide range of internal and external doors including high quality engineered doors with 10 year guarantee, oak veneered, hollow panelled, glazed, flush and fire doors with 18 different models available from stock and a further 100 models to order.

We stock accessories to go with our doors such as frames, architraves and door furniture.

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A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

BEDROOMS Our upstairs showroom boasts an excellent display of quality beds from leading manufacturers offering a combination of divan base units, either drawers or with a lift-up canopy option. Choosing from the best range of beds on the Rock customers can to lie down and “feel the difference” before making the right decision.

Delivery and set-up is part of the service and is free of charge.

FURNITURE Offering a range of high quality bedroom, occasional and dining furniture Gaggero Cemats aims to answer the needs of the most discerning customer. Customers can view a modern and stylish range of furniture in metal, wood and glass designed to grab attention and built to last for many years.

SOFAS A select range of sofas and chairs in leather, polypiel and material are on show all available in an extensive range of colours and designs. Chez lounge, manual or electric reclining variations are available to order with delivery to customers home as part of the service.

DECORATING Gaggero Cemats offer the most competitively priced high quality range of British interior and exterior coatings together with a computerised colouring mixing service. A comprehensive range of varnishes, preservatives and specialist metal, roofing and floor paints are stocked together with the associated decorative sundries.

Where Construction Supplies and Modern Furniture Meet With the construction market booming, materials and furniture are in high demand, we approached Gaggero Cemats, our most established Builders’ Merchants, to ask them what they had in store and how they were adjusting to the rapidly expanding building industry locally.

The full interview with General Manager Mark Allen will be in an extensive editorial feature in the next issue of Build Gibraltar, however Mark told BG that “There is a continual requirement for the company to ensure that it is able to meet the needs of the construction sector and the private customer”

A Member of the Saccone & Speed (Gibraltar) Group of Companies, 35 Devil’s Tower Road, P.O.Box 120, Gibraltar 7/9 Halifax Road,

Telephone: (+350) 200 78367

P.O.Box 305

Facsimile: (+350) 200 74670

Gibraltar

E-mail: enquiries@gaggero-cemats.gi

www.gaggero-cemats.gi BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 21

construction

The story of a common welder WHO made it to the top of the pile

cater for a whole range of projects from those of a design and build nature to much more specific needs,” said Chipolina.

While many people are content just to live in the safety of being wage-earners, there are some who choose to dream of greater things.

Dean Chipolina is one of them, having made the cut as a metal-worker in a construction market that takes no prisoners and doesn’t leave any room for error. We caught up with the brain behind DGM and asked him what prompted him to turn his one-man band into the market leader in the sector on the Rock.

“You need to have special qualities to run a business and not everyone has them,” said Chipolina. “You need to be able to smile when you’re angry, not take things too seriously, have faith in yourself and believe you can do whatever you set your mind to.”

Achievement Setting up DGM (Direct General Metalworks) 11 years ago as a small business, he did minor works here and there before his reputation spread through word of mouth and he slowly got bigger and bigger jobs. He believes that his good service created an element of credibility to the point where DGM are now considered one of the market leaders in the steel fabrication and supply sector.

“We work with various consultants, health and safety experts, engineers and architects so we can now feel confident to

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“Among the big builds we have done recently are Buena Vista Homes, using 360 tons of hot-rolled steel and thanks to that we have got loads more work with them. We also built the steel frame for the Pistol Shooting Club including the roof system and staircases and more recently we did a big part of the build for the Gun Wharf Marine Station, including providing hot rolled steel, LGSF (Light Gauge Steel Frame) and roof system.”

But the list doesn’t end there as extension of the multinational Eroski and the grid blasting of the Smith Dorrien Bridge are previous undertakings, with many other tenders DGM are currently bidding for.

He now has a 450m2 workshop at the Dutch Magazine industrial estate which allows him to work on smaller jobs like gates, railings and staircases as well as with Government as an approved constructor, which has given him an even better track record.

petitive business, until the new government came in three years ago and granted him his current set-up in Dutch Magazine near the dockyard. He now has a very well equipped workshop able to handle all aspects of metal fabrication to the highest standards.

Modular structures

Small steps Chipolina told us his classic story of a small-time entrepreneur done good: “It was just me and one more guy working out of the back of a van in the early days. It actually took a long time to get premises but I found out that by talking straight you get a good name for yourself in Gibraltar and you can go a long way.”

He started as an apprentice with no credit at all, only believing that because he was good at what he did, he could do a better job for himself than what he did for the variety of companies he worked for.

“I was approached by Barwil, a local ship chandlery company, and because I was the only aluminium specialist that they knew was trustworthy, they told me they needed work on two barges, and asked me to give them a price,” said Chipolina, who was still setting up the company at the time. “I gave him a price and it turned out he’d been quoted double that.

The only thing was I didn’t even have the tools to the job at the time, so I asked him to give me 50% up front and he could give me the rest when I finished if he was happy with the work. That’s what happened in the end and it came out perfectly because I started building capital and acquiring equipment I could use in other jobs.”

One of the things he has learnt is that speed of erection is an implicit part of achieving success in his line of work as well as the need to be flexible and be able to use different materials which are lighter and stronger: “This helps you to do away with very deep piling and makes it a lighter structure,” explained Chipolina. “With steel you can build what you want and you are not limited to different loads like you are with concrete. Because in Gibraltar we are limited to space, it is quicker and cleaner to use prefabricated materials in a modular structure which you just put together with bolts rather than bringing in concrete and lorries with the mess involved.”

The established use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) combined with Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) systems tend to use metal structures as the basis of modular buildings which can now be even stronger and built for purpose than traditional methods.

“All the work is done in 3D before it’s actually put out,” said the DGM founder. “Then it’s just like a big puzzle. You put it all together and there you go.”

Steel fabricated in controlled conditions has gone on to replace timber as a supporting structure as it is more structurally efficient with buildings being lighter and foundations smaller as a result. Steel use reduces the number of workers onsite by up to 80%, while its use in a small place like Gibraltar means construction sites are now cleaner and more tightly concentrated, limiting disruption to the heavily built-up areas of our expanding community.

“Additionally, cost-wise timber is exorbitant in these parts while steel doesn’t really go above £2.70 a kilo,” said Chipolina of using steel in favour of the old fashioned use of wooden beams. “Not only that but timber is very difficult to work with labour-wise and even harder to store.”

He carried on like that for the first couple of years until the government finally gave him a small workshop to work from up in Governor’s Cottage, where he even had to put the steel outside in the car park. It was constant hassle all the time for a very stressful five years getting a name for himself in a com-

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 23

Optimistic

companies have much lower labour costs and overheads, undercutting what he can offer.

In this line of work he told BG that it is a question of not saying no to anything. “I’ll say yes, I’ll take it on and then find a way of actually dealing with it,” he chuckled. “It’s been a big learning curve from day one and the truth is that I am still learning. As you go along you just have to be quick-minded and focus on what you’re doing. The more energy you put into what you’re doing, the better your results are going to be.”

The Gibraltarian rates health and safety as a prime concern, employing a consultant specialist for this area, and the resultant paperwork from his burgeoning business means he finds himself in a much more administrative role nowadays.

He also employs the work of engineering consultants within his quotes, as this is a requirement for doing the calculations involved in designing high quality steel structures.

The construction process involves DGM formulating fabrication drawings in close consultation with those received from the developer. Workshops are then employed to build the required pieces, always seeking the approval of contractors at every stage of the process.

He finds getting tenders difficult at times, and once he gets it, cashing in on his 30-day credits can be just as tricky, something he needs to continue generating cash flow, the downfall of many companies in these days. His competition comes mostly from across the border, where foreign

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“The more work I get, the more people I need to employ,” said the expert metal-worker. “ “We are set up with enough capital to deal with most types of projects so we can take on anything from £500,000 to £1million in work.”

“I always try to live by ‘the law of three’; you put away a third of what you make, you invest a third and you spend a third.

In business you have to live but you also have to look to what’s ahead too, and having taken that risk I am now looking forward to a rosy future.” he added.

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Sales: +350 200 73017 Hire: +350 200 47171 Chartered Health, Safety & Environmental Advisors

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• Planning Supervision / CDM Coordinator • Construction Phase Plans • Risk Assessments • Method Statements • Dust Control Plans • Environmental Management Plans • Traffic Management Plans • Safety Training & Toolbox Talks

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Gibraltar’s premier supplier of tools and equipment for hire or sale

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E: sales@hire-u-shop.com Hire-u-Shop Ltd, 4 Watergardens, Gibraltar

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BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 25

construction

Building Gibraltar upwards and onwards In the midst of one of the most momentous construction epochs in our history, John Bromfield of local building supplies company Colomendy Limited, analyses the impact construction has had and is continuing to exert on our booming local economy.

During the history of Gibraltar construction has played a major part in the economy of the country from purely defensive orientated works by The Moors and British Royal Engineers (including the Moorish Castle, sea defence walls, tunnels and infrastructure within the Rock) to the development of substantial port and airfield facilities for civilian and military use.

As time has moved on and modern requirements were needed by the population, numerous Government administrations, the British Ministry of Defence, private developers and utility companies have all contributed to the construction industry and left us with a spectacular infrastructure for such a small space with confined borders.

This progress and gradual expansion has led to the provision of more land for development by dredging and infilling suitable areas. If one were to look at the original city walls and see the developments outside these walls then it will be clear to all how innovative, productive and efficient these land-fill operations have been.

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Who are the main movers and shakers in Gibraltar construction?

Obviously, London plays a large part with its British Ministry of Defence (although now in decline as a landowner and establishment administrator); it has a large budget for construction of its necessary resoureces. The MoD has in recent times been dwarfed by the enormous public purse of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, administered through various organizations, Ministries and utility companies.

The Government has been involved in the refurbishment of housing estates like Montagu Gardens and Montagu Crescent as well as that of Laguna, Moorish Castle and Glacis Estate, new schools, public buildings, the new private boat marina and power station along with numerous other projects. These have been carried out mainly by the Government’s whollyowned private contractor Gibraltar Joinery and Building Services Limited, that has grown from a small-jobbing builder to the largest contractor on the Rock.

Additional to the public purse are the private developers, all of which have had a slow period during the Capital credit and cash squeeze that we have all been through. Over the last year or so, funds have been made available to start a

number of prestigious projects such as Montagu’s Mid-Town development, Ocean Development’s World Trade Centre, BV Homes’ exclusive private development at the spectacular Buena Vista promontory in the south end of the Rock and many other private schemes coming on stream to add to the country’s GDP, Tax income and employment.

Last but not least is the latest mega development at Catalan Bay and the Eastside Project. In a bold move by the latest administration to take back into public ownership the dormant land mass on the eastern side of the Rock it now augurs well for getting this massive development off the ground.

What does this mean for Gibraltar as a whole with regards to employment, community and the development of private companies, the economy and society as a whole?

Well, the first obvious effect is the increase of traffic of a commercial nature serving the construction industry. Roads will be blocked with building material suppliers feeding the avaricious construction sites with their materials and labour needs. Road diversions will operate whilst the narrow, one-

way systems are re-directed to cope with tight building-line sites and their protection of passing pedestrians whilst this is all going on.

Employment is booming in construction as can be seen from the thousands of Spanish workers and Spanish companies registering for work, now flowing into the country from across our common border.

The communities involved have disruption, noise and dirt to deal with but in the long-term should all look forward to an improved lifestyle, more enjoyable cityscape and better public services.

Entrepreneurism is rife in construction. No sooner is a new site announced than numerous new companies strike up offering their services. As a consequence the normal ratio of growth income from every £1 spent in construction infrastructure is £4 to the economy as a whole.

The economy improves and grows. As the construction industry is probably the largest employer in Gibraltar, it must, by default, provide the largest Corporation Taxes and personal tax revenues for the Government as well as further improving longer-term employment for the servicing and running of all the privately-owned new buildings.

Active current contractors include Sharrock Shand, Amco (Gibraltar), Profield Construction, Gibraltar Joinery and Building Services, Casais from Portugal, numerous companies from Spain and all their sub-contractors. These include specialist engineers and suppliers such as Colomendy/101 group, D & H Ceramics, Gaggeros, Hammonds, Atlas and Interbuild, who all contribute to a vibrant, productive, employing, innovative and proactive construction scene that grows and grows for the benefit of all.

BuildGibraltar for editorial contributions or feature editorialS. email:

editorial@buildgibraltar.com BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 27

case studty

CASE STUDY 28 ISSUE 01 BuildGibraltar

GUN WHARF

C A S E

S T U D Y

The Gun Wharf Marine Station is the new home of the marine sections of the Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Defence Police and Fire Service. In what will become a regular feature of the Build Gibraltar magazine, we undertook an extensive behind-the-scenes study interviewing all the key contributors to the construction of the building so that our readers can understand the processes and challenges involved in its completion.

The Architect The structure in question is a grey stealthy looking building located in between Grafton House at the end of Queensway Quay and the Royal Navy marine station.

The new building was originally envisaged to be a joint Marine Base for the Police and Customs units, relocated from its previous site adjacent to where the Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club have their current premises. Prior to it being built at Gun Wharf, a number of alternative sites were explored including possible locations at North Mole.

“The customs compliment was far less than that of the RGP so when they decided to move them to the new premises at Gun Wharf, the building was originally designed to accommodate the customs as well as a small contingent from the Fire Brigade,” said the WSRM architect. “The building currently accommodates the RGP marine based unit, together with a GDP compliment and a small Fire Brigade unit. The customs marine unit will shortly be relocated elsewhere in their own premises.”

The building itself is a like-for-like replacement basis of what the RGP already had, on land ceded to the Gibraltar Government through an MoD lease, who are still operational in the area. This meant that some space had to be left vacant for the MoD to put boats out of the water right beside it.

With the structure being designed for its original site at the harbour, it was supposed to blend into that sort of context.

So various sketches were made on what could fit in with the new location and the complications involved in creating a bespoke solution for the client concerned, in this case the Government.

“It’s just about trying to answer questions as you go along,” explained the architect. “They could be that the client has requirements today and that tomorrow they might want something else so you have to be able to adapt. We needed to make the design we already had work in its new location so we’ve gone for a building with a nautical image inspired by a lifeboat station so from a distance people could see it had something to do with boats.”

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 29

Fit for purpose The appearance relates the fact that it has an official flavour with an iconic image which promotes it as a selfadvertisement of its functions. Inside it caters for shiftworkers by way of shower facilities, equipment storage areas and a social area for relaxing to watch TV in between patrols.

There is a workshop for carrying out maintenance on boats, a control room for monitoring activity in the harbour and offices for planning operations and communicating with other entities in the area.

The Gun Wharf building is constructed mainly of light gauge steel metal on a primary steel structure, which was chosen for its speed of erection and other practical advantages. The building sits in contrast to the surrounding stone structures of the historic dockyard, but at the same time compliments the narrative and distinct use of a fast changing harbour.

“If we had built it out of stone it may have taken twice as long and cost twice as much and in the end it may not have given

you the flexibility of use that it may have had with this type of building,” he said. “Everything has to be fit for purpose. You have to build something that is robust that can withstand the elements and climactic conditions so as long as it does that it doesn’t really matter what it’s built out of.”

The WSRM architect explained that the availability of advanced prefabricated materials precludes the need for so-called ‘solid’ masonry products to be used every time, especially in tight urban areas where space is at a premium and disruption has to be kept at a minimum.

In terms of the moorings, the architect said that while the joint complement was of 12-13 boats, the facility had to be able to adapt to a rapidly enlarging fleet: “We have to allow within the design for flexibility to extend and expand berthing possibilities in the future.”

The Structural Engineer Belilo’s got the drawings from the architect that gave the overall dimensions and sizes that were required for the building so as to develop the design further. “Once we agreed the type of materials we were going to use we undertook structural calculations to size of the columns, foundation and beams which need to go to Building Control to ensure they complied to building regulations and British or EU standards.”

The calculations were then passed to the CAD technicians that produced drawings based on the sizes Belilo’s gave, which were then passed to Building Control to receive a certificate for them before site-work began.

Belilo’s Jim Gray said site investigations had been carried out in this area for another project, which gave him an idea of the ground conditions he was going to be building on: “Being a wharf the ground consisted of mainly fill material, well consolidated and compacted over a hundred years or more.

Because of this we opted to use a raft foundation, which is a 300mm thick, rigid slab that is set into the ground over the whole footprint of the building reinforced by steel bars.”

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This type of foundation is commonly used in situations where differential settlement may be a problem such as with this wharf infill. The excavation process for the foundation was complicated by the fact that the contracted mechanical plant came across large boulders which then had to be backfilled with selected materials.

“Once that foundation was completed, the steel structure was bolted down to the foundation slab with temporary support to keep everything stable,” continued Gray. “The bolts were set into cones which allow a bit of tolerance to them in case

the holes in the base plates don’t come out quite right. The frame then comes to us as a kit so the columns would go up and the crossbeams would be bolted to them incorporating bracing members that gives the structure stability against the wind load and other lateral loading.”

Once the foundation slab had hardened (in about 28 days) the steel frame could be set up within two weeks and the fitting of the panels could go ahead with the help of a mobile crane.

The Mechanical Engineer Before E&M Consulting Engineers Ltd could put pen to paper for a design, they had to identify the Mechanical and Electrical brief through the client (the government) who then went back to its different end-users, in this case the RGP and GDP. “We needed to understand their operational requirements and if they had any specific needs for their workshop, diver’s areas and boat berths,” said their Public Health Engineer Fabian Torilla. “We could then move on to design the various systems which included air conditioning, heating and ventilation in the areas where they required us to do so”.

Once E&M knew what the client wanted, it threw the demands back to architects WSRM who know where the desks were going to be so the engineers could work out at what height power points needed to be in relation to where the wires were coming from. “Then there are the spatial requirements,” continued Torrilla. “We might need to install a cable duct that may be bigger than the space the architect or structural engineer allows for, so then there’s a process of checking what takes priority.

“We then fed this information to the design team to ensure our services were demarcated both within the concrete ground slab and the steel structure on top before they were installed. Sometimes we had to adapt our original design because the contractor found obstacles which meant the design couldn’t be executed as planned.

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 31

“In this job, floor to ceiling heights had to be maximised, especially in the Workshop area on the ground floor, where we had to surface mount all the services. So when you go in there you will see there are cable trays suspended around the back and this provides greater flexibility.”

Despite original plans for solar hot water collection, the idea was ditched after it was ascertained that the weather exposure would cause too many maintenance issues to be a worthy investment. Instead E&M went for highly efficient heat pumps that draw energy out of the surrounding air and apply it to the water. This design development item then had to be approved by the architect and Building Control Department.

“At an early stage we found out how much power, water and drainage the facility was going to use so we could it hook up to the respective networks,” said Torrilla. “Once we calculated how much we needed, we contacted the utility suppliers to find out if there was enough flow and capacity from the nearest tapping point.”

NEGOTIATION In terms of water supply the building tapped into Ordinance Wharf while drainage was organised by a pumping system that would lift the waste and deposit it into the nearest sewer.

However, electrical power was a completely different kettle of fish. Because it was on MoD land with a large crane onsite, the mechanical engineers had to try to find a way of keeping energy use down. Through energy efficient systems like LED lighting, the previously mentioned heat pumps and low consumption air conditioning, this was achieved and an agreement was signed between the MoD, RGP and GibElec to secure power supply to the building.”

Throughout the construction period E&M would technically review suggestions made by the contractor to see if they were fit-for-purpose. When it was over, E&M worked to provide the data and power needs for the radar and radio equipment in the communications room on the southern end of the building. “But because it was a specialist item the actual internal fit-out was done by the end-user.” continued Torrilla.

“They installed a radar, satellite and antenna on the roof, providing their own panels and screens.”

E&M works and materials used are all insured for 12 months against catastrophic failure, which rarely happens because of the amount of tests they have to undergo. “The biggest challenges were that it was a Government project on MoD land and that it was pretty much surrounded by sea.”

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The Contractor

The Steelworker

Adrian Summerfield from Profield said it was a very lightweight structure with low erection time: “Gun Wharf is not your conventional building made out of bricks and mortar. It’s the modern kind of building being used more and more that has a steel structure internally lined with insulation between the plasterboard and plywood. Then a lightweight steel structure holds the external cladding system with a Kingspan sandwich panel roof.

“We did most of the build with Profield,” said Dean Chipolina from Direct General Metalworks. “In that job we took on the hot-rolled steel, light-gauge steel framing (LGSF), cladding and the roof system. Steel structures offer a higher speed of erection within a lighter structure, more flexibility to use a wider range of materials and you do away with the need to do very deep piling. You can build what you want and you are not limited to different loads like you are with concrete.”

“Finally there were the marine works, piling at sea and pontoon assembly. They’re concrete floats with galvanized steel pontoons, all materials coming in on lorries, which were installed with relative ease.”

“The main challenges were that being on MoD land we needed to get passes for all site operatives and that takes time,” continued Summerfield . “The prefabricated or dry method of construction is more economical, quicker and it performs quite well.”

Although not the same cladding system, Filomena House was the one of the first buildings in Gibraltar to use this modern construction method. The difference is that Filomena House was a traditional concrete frame with an outsulation cladding system consisting of EPS foam with acrylic render on top and brick or block walls forming the inner cavity.

“Taylor Woodrow pioneered this type of construction with Profield contracted to carry out the works. Since then it has been used on a lot of other buildings to become one of the main cladding systems used on buildings throughout on the Rock,” he added.

The Planning Supervisor The role of John Joe De La Paz was to ensure the Contractor’s method statements and risk assessments complied with the CDM Regulations 1998.

“This is an important part of the works planning process, to ensure that all risks are mitigated, which can otherwise result in accidents on site,” said De La Paz. “My responsibilities included reviewing the Contractor’s Health and Safety File.

This document is passed onto the end user and contains asbuilt information and maintenance manuals, which are key to the safe operation and maintenance of the building.”

BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 33

“The most important thing here is that we have a clear, uncongested and unobstructed access to the sea and our two large patrol boats on the jetty itself. Meanwhile, being in a fenced off MoD area they’re more secure premises than what it was at Coaling Island which was next to a public road and housing estate. Both there and in the North Mole there was more chance of a security breach so it makes us happier to be here.”

Despite the possible speed of erection all parties talked about, Insp. Buhagiar pointed out that they had regular meetings with the developers & contractors during the whole process of completing the structure: “And like in every other development it didn’t start on the date it was meant to. It was pencilled in to begin construction in January 2014 but I didn’t see any movement until March that year between getting permits from the MoD and arranging things. Then it was meant to have finished in September but it wasn’t handed to us until November.

The End User Inspector Albert Buhagiar from the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) said that the original area at Coaling Island was becoming “a hazardous spot for operational requirements” so when the offer came from the Government to move away it was grabbed with both hands: “The new berthing facility for 700 vessels was making access to the base a bit of a nightmare especially for our two latest patrol boats deploying for emergency scenarios. The marina being built narrowed access into our base while the yacht club and two rowing clubs frequently using the area with their pleasure craft and swimmers where even the wash of a vessel could affect someone in the water.”

“When developments start coming up around the area and we ourselves are increasing the number of vessels we operate, an accident by way of collision seemed imminent. So in this way we welcomed the move.”

The initial plan was to move the marine station beside the Flying Angel Club on the North Mole but Insp. Buhagiar told BG it would be a similar situation over there: “I prefer Gun Wharf as there is more room on which to slip up and service our vessels around the building, a larger pontoon with ample room for more vessels if required.”

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“Then again the MoD are very strict on health and safety issues, protocol and procedures, which we had to adhere to and I welcome. It will avoid accidents to follow their Health & Safety policy so for example, inflammatory liquids having to be kept in a special storage area and although it may seem too strict at times, it’s better than having accidents.”

Having only finally moved in during February he said he hasn’t experienced serious issues apart from some water penetration and loose panels, minor issues which are expected from any new build especially with some of the storms they had this winter.

“It’s a beautiful design particularly from the outside, complete with flagpole, antenna and radar system,” said the Inspector. “The pontoons outside are operationally viable which allow deployment and a crane to lift our water-craft for maintenance and repairs with the space meaning you can work better than at Coaling Island.”

He said that while it has met their working standards his only gripe was that “it could have been a bit bigger” as the Gun Wharf construction only covered the build area of the Coaling Island HQ. “What I mean is that it is limited if we ever decided to increase the office and locker space which we share with the Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP) Marine Section and the Diving Unit,” said Buhagiar. “However, it’s newer and has more modern features, giving us better light from numerous windows and it is over two floors which means we have a line of sight of what is going on in the bay.”

There are currently 24 members of RGP staff on location at Gun Wharf including civilian workers so along with the GDP and very occasional fire brigade staff there are around 40 people operating from the building.

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GOVERNment of Gibraltar

Five things our longest-serving politician did for construction There are few Gibraltarians that have ever done as much as a certain Joe Bossano for the construction industry on the Rock.

More than just another face in the crowd, here is a man who rose through very different ranks to lead his people and now works eight till eight seven days a week for that singular purpose. No-one can beguile him the love he has for serving a community that voted him into office for the third term in December 2011, though these days rather than be in the front-line he tends to the economic development of a people he prefers to call a nation.

Call it what you want. In fact, call him what you want. Many have smeared his name with venom, including claims of corruption and poor leadership. But this man had vision and within his socialist policies, sought to programme an economy like few others could ever have done. Moreover, construction was at the heart of his economic vision and for this we have a lot to thank the man they call the father of parliament.

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So, at this point, you may be asking, just what did this man do for Gibraltar? As he always delivers his points very statistically, we have laid this out in five areas:

asked us from where we would bring the expertise to do the reclamation. We responded we hadn’t thought about it yet but would probably ask around UK.

1. He changed Gibraltar to run like a business

“He then told us that the experts on reclamation were in the Netherlands and so it was, three days after our interview was broadcast on the radio, the sales director from Volker Stevin turns up in Gibraltar to talk to me. So I said to him: ‘You’ve got the work. Now get out of my way so I can win this election!’”

The rest is history. The election was won convincingly and the Voerden-based company began their extensive reclamation programme, upon completion expanding our land by a quarter of its area at the time.

For the first time, the logistical heart of Gibraltar was transplanted from a whole load of civil service bureaucrats to hands-on people who had experience working in the world of work.

“There had been no change for years,” Bossano explained.

“So we came with a completely different approach as our people had a lot of experience of mainly manual work. They were firemen, secretaries, drivers and store-men who knew how Gibraltar worked more than any of the guys at the top.

They had first-hand contact and first-hand experience of the economy.”

Red tape was cut out and thrown away, building the foundations for the massive economic change that would occur in a British territory that had been largely dependent on the Ministry of Defence for 60% of its employment until that point.

“What you cannot do is use the civil service system of working to run businesses because the concept of the civil service is not driven by efficiently creating profits,” said Bossano. “The civil service is driven by rules of what it needs to do and you can’t measure its output by how much savings and profit it makes.”

He thus brought in big private investors to update the formerly government-run infrastructure which created the telecommunications basics for what is now our number one private employer, online gaming.

2. He singlehandedly arranged the largest reclamation of land from the sea ever Bossano foresaw that even though the MoD was still in the process of moving out, the transfer of its property, a whopping 40% of the total land mass, would be a slow and measured process. In order to bring about the constructionbased paradigm shift he saw essential to the progress of our community, he decided to carry out a massive reclamation programme that would increase the amount of area available by a quarter.

He picks up the story himself: “In the middle of the election campaign we had an interview with a freelance Dutch journalist and I explained our reclamation plans to him. He

“We found that there were people willing to buy that land for more than double what it had cost us,” continued Bossano.

“We sold a quarter of the land, we kept a quarter of it (what we called the land-bank), the last bit which was sold in 2010.

And the other half we gave away free for the two housing estates that were built for home ownership.”

3. He laid the foundations for the home ownership explosion Between his 50/50 scheme and his other property sales he established the basis of a housing market where prosperity created demand and increased the value of the rest of the housing market. Or as he put it: “Prosperity is something that is both reflected in the very demand for buildings, and it’s a virtuous circle because more buildings create a demand for the construction sector and that in turn increases prosperity.”

He now expects our GDP to jump from £1.2bn to £1.8bn by the end of the current GSLP term in government, and if they were to win the next election nearly double that by 2019.

If anyone doubts Bossano’s ability to increase our economy, they only need to look at the last GSLP term in office. From 1988 to 1996 the economy grew by 133%, more than doubling the economy from £152m to £352m, a fact verified

by Bournemouth University.

He reminded us that this growth slowed down during GSD days, only accelerating towards the end of it thanks to a minor construction boom, which took so much cash out of the public coffers that when the GSLP came into office, they had to put a hold on construction for six months so as not to increase public debt. Since 2014 construction is up again, even surpassing 2008 levels.

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4. He started GJBS, a bit-part player which became the single biggest construction giant for government projects Gibraltar Joinery and Building Services (GJBS) was formed after the Appledore shipyard closed down and its employees given the chance to be retrained and take new work in a different field. This was the option chosen by those who used to run the joinery shop in the naval and commercial yards respectively. With some of the best carpentry experts on the Rock the former shipwrights knew how to make anything with wood, giving them a significant edge over other competitors.

Being a 100% government-owned but privately operated contractor started by Bossano its potential to measure the prices being quoted by others was valued so much by the GSD that over 16 years the then Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana saw it grow immensely. It comes as no surprise then that GJBS grew exponentially from an annual turnover of three to four million pounds in 1996 to 40-50 million by 2011.

While Gibraltarian and even British contractors were displaced by cheap Spanish labour, the bursting of the construction bubble in 2008 saw GJBS taking over from all those companies that went under and they are still mopping up the mess they left behind.

Nowadays, on the GSLP’s return to office GJBS are involved in three different estates at the same time, refurbishing and covering labour needs at a host of other projects including the airport tunnel.

5. He established the training of recruits for the construction and maintenance market While the current mass construction may be boosting the economy to fantastic levels at this time, what happens when this tails off? Well, Bossano has already thought about this eventuality.

“The future for Gibraltar based construction companies should be mainly concentrated in maintenance of buildings which will be an expanding market because the more buildings there are, the more that will have to be maintained,” he told BG. “Therefore the emphasis in the training we are giving is towards construction maintenance. Rather than just training bricklayers, we are getting them ready also for plastering, flooring and wall tiling.”

Already over 134 young people have been put through a number of City and Guilds qualifications at levels, one, two and three as part of this drive towards sustainable skills acquisition.

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“That will create a home-grown workforce that will primarily be working for small, local companies that will be given maintenance work by the government and private sector to maintain schools, offices and housing.”

The facts back up his prognosis, as he told us there will always be around 1500 jobs in construction on the Rock, but that figure will peak at 3000 at certain points. This forward planning gives those locally based workers something else in which to concentrate their skills when the current peak intensity has dimmed again, even if that is after the massive Eastside project which the GSLP has revived and is set to kick off in the summer.

What is clear is that Bossano has construction very close to heart, not only because he was the pioneer of this government-driven initiative but because he carefully programmes this like every other sector into Gibraltar PLC’s growth model for the following years.

“The construction sector is a fundamental element in the economy of Gibraltar, being the third biggest private employer after the gaming and retail sectors,” he affirmed, committing himself and his party to its preservation and growth on the Rock.

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BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 39

GOVERNment of Gibraltar

When small equals big: a chat with our town planner If there is one person who has overseen the acute transformation of Gibraltar from military fortress to Montecarloesque grandeur, it is our very own Town Planner, Paul Origo.

He makes a comparison with New York which he visits often: “It’s a melting pot of different nationalities, intense use of land, and even if you solve traffic problems on one street it creates ripple effects on another. You cannot plan holistically because you are constantly being bombarded with a demand for land resources and activity.”

Working within a government department that has to keep tabs on everything that is happening around it from its base at Europort, we talk to the man himself, Paul Origo, whose contagious smile and effervescent honesty have been the bedrock of our constructive progress since he took over at the cusp of a new era three decades ago.

In its compactness and desirability he said it has parallels to a place like Hong Kong: “It is one of those highly dense areas where nobody wants to move away, everybody wants to come in, and you have to accommodate it all in limited boundaries.”

“Even though Gibraltar is only five square miles, it encompasses the problems, issues and dilemmas of a fullsized nation because we have beaches, airport, port, heavy tourism, an expansive finance sector as well as historical conservation and environmental issues,” Origo tells BG.

“We have a densely populated state with an ever-increasing demand for housing, offices, commercial, recreational and sports facilities; we even have 1,800 dogs we need to cater for!”

With nearly 30 years in the job he looks back and feels he chose his particular path out of passion more than anything else. “This means you’re always there every moment of time, thinking about it, dwelling on it, and acting on it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an architect, an archaeologist or a sweeper, but if you have passion about what you want to do in life, the job is never a bad one because you enjoy coming to work.”

He went through thick and thin, for the first ten years being completely on his own as town planner alongside his technical and shared admin support staff. That all changed when Paul Naughton-Rumbonother (the author of the current 2009 Development Plan), who he describes as “a thoroughly competent and professional colleague” came alongside him for another decade. Now he has a full array of four, including a three-person technical team as well as colleagues from the building control section who he likes to call “the town planning and Building control family”.

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Small town dynamics Origo said that Gibraltar is nothing like the length and breadth of UK but instead it is “instant, constant and dynamic” a fact confirmed almost on cue by the phone ringing annoyingly in the background as one of his team walks through the door.

“Why does it become more voluminous despite having more human resources?” he asks me and town planning assistant Giovanni Baglietto, who stands there vacantly holding a huge cardboard folder under his arm.

He finally drops it on the floor amidst various other piles and walks out timidly, and Origo complements his professionalism hoping that one day Baglietto will become even better than him. “We have a very passionate, hands-on team who can approach and receive people in all forms of life,” he affirms.

This varies from the mother who wants to hang her clothes outside her window and shop owner wanting to change his frontage, to the politician, astute developer or financial institution that wants to get a project done as soon as possible. He explains: “You are in the realm of a decisionmaking process, and you have to ensure you get it right and be prepared to say no and face the music with that person when they feel aggrieved and you don’t know how to comfort them.

“In a small place like Gibraltar, because you mix with each other so soon after a decision, you will probably see them walking down the street and where before they might have

greeted you enthusiastically, now they have second thoughts over your position, decision and friendship. Unfortunately, some people don’t disassociate friendship with the professional role you have to play, but that’s their prerogative.”

He sums up the planning department’s role as providing a fair service “assisting applicants to 200% of our ability”, but he is clear that not all decisions can be made in favour of all their projects. As the Chairman of the Development and Planning Commission, it is the town planner’s role to look at the aesthetic qualities of any construction project, but it is for the rest of the members to vote in favour or against it.

“Architecture is very subjective and even though it may function perfectly, if it looks ugly it may stick out like a sore thumb,” he recounts. “Gibraltar is so small and anything you decide to allow today is going to be seen again and again.

There are even people who will remind you of that wrong decision of the past and that’s something you can’t run away from.”

He does admit it is exciting to mix and match everything, with the dilemma of whether to place the power station at North Mole or Lathbury Barracks being the latest controversial decision we have had to make. “It’s a jigsaw puzzle with limited boundaries. How do you gel all these ingredients into the same saucepan?” he asks rhetorically.

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FIRST complications When he started his job, land was very restricted between the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Gibraltar Government and freehold properties of the old town. The dramatic transformation brought about by the change of Government in 1988 and its massive reclamation plans brought about a major challenge for Origo as a fledgling town planner right out of college, with Europort and Eurotowers springing out from a completely new land mass.

“I used to visit my town planning school in UK for summer and tell them how I was already dealing with politicians, developers and investors,” he says about his baptism of fire. “In every decision we cannot be unconscious of the complexities available here in Gibraltar. No matter what you do it instantly affects somebody else and these consequences can be microscopic or immense.”

And so it was with the reclamation itself. “When Europort was completed, for a while it was a white elephant because there were not many occupiers,” he recalls. “But look at it now. It’s running out of space continually. In urban design terms the key turning points for Gibraltar were post-war when we had the major development schemes for the returning evacuees (Moorish Castle Estate/ Humphreys and Laguna Estate were created) and post 1988 the incoming administration decided to forget about the release of land from the MoD and create their own. Since then we haven’t seen the back of that.

“They laid infrastructure on all the network of roads and spearheaded production of the construction industry.

Because of that input, credit providers came into Gibraltar like building societies and financial institutions. In turn, that opened the door to market Gibraltar for international and local market housing. So we’ve had a very high inward investment for people to buy and live on the Rock, thinking they were going to make this their second home and have since made it their first.”

He says that a whole network of people has developed thanks to the construction boom started in 1988 and his volume of work has never gone down, with the amounts of money invested in Gibraltar continuing to increase dramatically.

Logistically, he remembers the reclamation as being comparative to the dockyard or the airport in terms of mass, volume and construction movement: “It was one of those major feats of Gibraltar. It was a huge learning curve as well, because I got involved in every area, including the foundations, component factory constructed forms of development and sewage system for example. Today’s generation doesn’t realise that the whole of Queensway was this infrastructure that included a new sewage distribution system for the Europort developments, a vast fibre optic network and an improved water distribution system.”

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This process was consolidated throughout the nineties and noughties via urban renewal schemes coming into fruition such as the beautification of Main Street, Irish Town and side streets. During this period Casemates Square was converted from chaotic car park to another central community area alongside the refurbished John Mackintosh Square.

More sophisticated architectural design schemes were used to create major landscape features such as the grand airport terminal and the monumental King’s Wharf. Meanwhile, St Bernard’s Hospital was moved into a section of Europort while the labyrinth of listed heritage at King’s Bastion was sensitively converted into a popular leisure centre.

Process With the investment of major franchises like Costa Coffee coming to the Rock, Origo’s team works round the clock to streamline the whole process so he only needs to sign off permits when the background work is done. “We’ve got to make sure that when the final permit goes out it is what we’ve approved, including all the revisions and modifications included in the application,” he says. “As soon as the permit is issued the project starts moving on the ground. We have a whole building control department next door working on the structures and inspecting the building sites to ensure health and safety is maintained and that the plans that were approved are repeated in the structure itself. A whole lot of issues come alive there.”

These issues could include summer air conditioning needs, but he personally objects to these machines being placed on the frontages of buildings. “It’s my pet hate,” he says. I despise the unauthorised air conditioning installer man who defaces the architecture because they he can’t find a better solution than putting it in your face when it could be on the roof, in patios or behind a false balcony screen/grill. If they only came to us we would find ways of screening it to soften the blow to the senses.

“Of course, it’s none of the local suppliers who do it but just those who come across the border to do the unscrupulous deed and because it’s cheaper put it in the easiest location.

They have no understanding of rules or policies in Gibraltar so while you’re trying to cajole the local suppliers to play the game, suddenly there’s a rotten mushroom exploding right under your nose!”

Designing better Apart from frustrating narratives like this one he says managing the administrative area of town planning is always a satisfying proposition: “Through our consistent struggle town planning has earned a certain respect in Gibraltar more than other areas of the construction industry. It’s just unfortunate you don’t hear much recognition about the building industry being recognised or the architects involved in certain projects. If you’re visiting another town as a tourist, there’s a transfer of knowledge of architects in those places.

We have a very strong crop of locally employed professional architects, good civil engineers, designers and of course a history of Royal Engineering architects and no-one’s exploited that architectural progression over centuries. This stretches as far as the Moorish Tower of Homage, Spanish walls, and the very grand British fortifications, accommodation and defence systems.

“Today we have a juxtaposition of modern architecture from a crop of very young architects that want to explore their design inputs in Gibraltar, and better clients today that are willing to spend their money on these designs.”

An illustration of this is Ocean Village’s success seven years ago in winning awards for Best High-Rise Architecture, Best Interior Design and Best Apartment at the CNBC Europe & Africa Property Awards. Then only last December, the £10.9-million ‘New Aloes’ beat off category winners from Africa, Arabia, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the UK to claim ‘Best International Property Single Unit’ at the International Property Awards 2014-2015.

“We’re always striving for better design, especially if you look at the amount of architects we have per capita,” Origo reminds us. “Pre-1988 there were mainly one person setups and now companies like WSRM, GC Architects and AKS are going into double figures in terms of who they employ.”

Origo points out that this architectural maturity means Gibraltar can now move to another level of design possibilities: “Grandiose schemes like those that are popping up around the Rock mean we are now opening up to a better urban and natural landscape trying to merge the old with the new within the existent landscape. My dilemma is if the architecture should stand proud of the landscape or hide it.

What’s the point of doing a bold architectural form if you are going to hide it?”

is used to reflect or provide a see-through quality to other structures around town.

By the same yardstick the Town Planner finds some of the low-cost housing in the past “unmanageable and uncontrollable” but feels the developers are finally taking that responsibility into consideration when designing structures.

“They have to amend their ways to make sure they no longer bad flavour of the month,” he says. “I think the public of Gibraltar demands a more beautiful architectural form especially as good design is no longer expensive and you don’t have to buy high-cost products to make it attractive anymore.”

Eastern promise The other big project he will now oversee is the Eastside Project. But for those who thought this could prove to be another white elephant, he motions to me the back of his office where he points to a town planning map that dates back to 1969. Apparently, Sir Henry Kendall, one of the first civilian town planners drew up plans to build a similar project between the current Caleta Hotel and Both Worlds.

“The Eastern side of the Rock is actually a lot shallower and therefore easier to construct than our harbour so engineering is no problem,” said Origo. “The only issue is that the east side storms bring larger waves which will have to be contended with in its planning.”

With the expressions of interest including sheltered and open market housing, he said it was a common misnomer to talk of the upper end of the open market only being for the outsider: “There is now a very good crop of wealthier Gibraltarian nationals who are moving up the ladder and will be able to afford them. A recent assessment of who owns property today in the Clifton’s, Clifftops, Queensway Quay and Cormorant Wharf has shown Gibraltarians form a high percentage of owner-occupiers of property and this figure would be substantially higher if so many of us didn’t have second homes in Spain.”

The emphasis of Origo’s vision is that the bustle of construction should never cease because it is only by keeping it going that we maintain our progress: “You will never be able to have your feet on the table, because that will be when the shop closes.

And it’s very good for our quality of life that it doesn’t.”

This is the perennial conflict of the architect and the town planner, either to create something iconic that stands apart from the surroundings or a development that blends in. The advent of green roofs are the typified example of this, as is now seen at the M5 Gloucester motorway service station where petrol stations flow discreetly into a sloping grassy background. Closer to home, certain new developments reflect the age-old walls to which they’re juxtaposed, or glass

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GOVERNment of Gibraltar

Building a new Gibraltar hand-in-hand with the private sector Gibraltar continues to go from strength to strength within the building sector under the GSLP/Liberal Government, thanks mainly to the ambition of an administration committed to developing our economy by investing in new projects and thereby creating new opportunities for commerce and tourism.

At the heart of this development is Number 6 Convent Place, from where Government operates its expansion plans for the good of the whole community. Rather than sit back and let the private sector do their stuff, it is Ministers like Joseph Garcia who are involved in leading the way to prosperity as land is handed over from the Ministry of Defence and put to its best use furthering our economic goals.

Garcia’s success means he is now responsible for land, town planning and the oversight of government projects. From his office in the heart of the new government building he tells us how he is involved at every stage of the process: “A plot of land is allocated, the project goes through the planning process and then I oversee it from a political point of view as it is being built. This is part of my responsibility for planning and lands towards implementing manifesto goals.”

One of the flagship commitments offered in its manifesto before the 2011 elections was housing. The Government set upon delivering in this area too, providing nearly 1,000 homes

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within the last three years in two sites around Gibraltar, In this vein, Beach View Terraces which overlooks Eastern Beach and Mons Calpe Mews at the former coach park have been complemented by a block especially for senior citizens in Europort Avenue.

“Coming into government and wanting to move the housing market forward in terms of construction and development has taken a very short period of time,” says Garcia. “We’re already at a very advanced stage of construction and people have already been allocated flats through the housing waiting list process.”

Government provides low cost housing with a 50/50 option due to a lack of availability on the open market, thus giving first-time home-owners a realistic bite at the cherry, a first step on the ladder towards economic prosperity both individually and corporately. With Gibraltar currently at third in the GDP per capita ratings, the investment is paying off.

Progress But why stop there? The Government’s policy of improving the dwellings of all those who live on the Rock extends to those in areas which were becoming increasingly shabby even though they are located at the entry-point to our city.

Laguna and Glacis Estates have received substantial funding for refurbishment and beautification works, while Moorish Castle Estate is also getting its own facelift. “Lifts have been installed where it is technically possible with buildings re-clad to transform the way these parts of Gibraltar look,” he says.

“While it may cause inconvenience during the works, once they’re finished it will be much better for everyone.”

The development of education has always been a sign of greatness of any community, and in Gibraltar’s case this is no different. Evolving from a history steeped in Catholic involvement, it has gone on to have a school system that grades higher than many in UK. Building infrastructure has been improved year on year, the latest being the joining of two schools at the old St Bernard’s hospital site, providing the facilities to continue our growth in this department.

Additionally the new University of Gibraltar will be sited at buildings now being supplied from former MOD-stock at Europa Point with Garcia providing the land for his ministerial colleague in education, Gilbert Licudi. The new facilities add an atrium to two older former MoD structures with a completely new, purpose-built university hall complex to be erected nearby.

The current government, which includes the oldest party in Gibraltarian politics, sticks to its guns both in and out of power. “One policy we stressed very clearly in Opposition was the fact that we were opposed to landlords or private developers buying plots of land to develop and then not doing anything with them,” says Garcia. “When we came in we said we would stimulate and push to ensure that development took place.”

That promise was carried out with what had become an eyesore at the Eastside project, an area earmarked for development for decades. Buying it back from the developer for 28 million pounds (at a four million pound profit from what it was sold in 2011) the original tender saw 17 companies apply to construct on the 100,000m2 site. The Government is now negotiating the finer details with two entities from outside Gibraltar.

“The government has made it clear that we want to see a marina, affordable and luxury housing, a hotel and commercial area as well,” says Garcia. “It’s a development that will attract people to Gibraltar in its own right, as well as creating a new part to our nation.”

Co-operation Then there is the jewel in the crown right in the heart of town. Work on the Mid-Town project situated where the two Naval Grounds used to stand, is already underway, with a coach and taxi park to be located under a 1000-space multi-storey car park, complementing offices, commercial and private residential units. It incorporates a green area which will sandwich the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre with Commonwealth Park (the latter was completed in May 2014) to give residents and workers a centrally-located area in which to relax and unwind. “This was a plot of land where nothing was going on so we went in and made sure something did happen,” says Garcia.

“It is healthy and shows that thanks to what this Government is doing, people are more interested in investing in Gibraltar,” said Garcia.

“Another significant interest in getting Gibraltar moving from a development point of view was to sit down and engage in very detailed and meticulous negotiations with the Ocean Village developers. These discussions lasted for many months but, at the end, we emerged with an agreement.” As a result of this accord, the World Trade Centre which had been stalled for a number of years is now aiming for completion in 2016.

“So in a sense there are two distinct areas of development,” he continues. “There is the development which the Government itself has initiated and then the other kind is the development we have encouraged and negotiated with private developers to ensure they do their bit as well.”

Add to this the refurbishment of the colonial-styled Rock Hotel and the five-star wing of the current Caleta Hotel, along with the world’s first ever five-star floating hotel in the shape of the Sunborn and you have a tourist product that is progressing very rapidly.

Critics have said the Government is going too far with its construction programme, but the man who serves as Deputy Chief Minister and the leader of the Liberal Party, disagrees.

“This amount of investment is very welcome,” said Garcia.

“It generates economic activity, employment and economic wealth for Gibraltar as a whole.”

Further evidence of this interest can be seen by the Marriott Hotel due to be built across the road from the Mid-Town project, or the Holiday Inn Express to be situated near Beach Views in Devil’s Tower Road. To an outsider it would even seem the private sector is jumping on a bandwagon that has seen property prices rise steadily over the last 20 years when the MoD moved out and the first GSLP government skilfully positioned itself to find new markets like the online gaming sector.

Reclamation has always been the motor of development for the last 20 years since the GSLP first pushed back the sea in 1988 and with a new state-of-the-art power station being the latest project to be built in an area previously occupied by sea-water, the territory is now set to scale the dizzy heights of constructive progress.

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GOVERNment of Gibraltar

“We will keep on growing!” says national property agent The government land portfolio is the biggest that it ever has been and it continues to expand with the new homes being completed this summer and the Eastside development of the future.

In an exclusive interview, Build Gibraltar talked to John Collado, who heads both Land Property Services (LPS) and Gibraltar Residential Property (GRP), the private companies that administer this huge public responsibility.

“When this administration came in, they did so with a long list of fresh ideas, manifesto commitments and energy to do new things,” said Collado, of the increase in workload.

“A lot has been done and is being done and as laid out in our contract with our sole client, the government, we find ourselves as a pivotal part of the whole process.”

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LPS works exclusively for the Government after the Crown Lands Department was privatised in 1990. Since then they have taken over rates collection and billing, the land registry and the management of industrial parks. To give readers an idea of what this entails for LPS, they currently manage around 3,000 rental and 14,700 rates accounts. Their main property management portfolio means they do not do any of the housing department tenancies but do take care of any property that is sold or leased out or purchased back as well as the GRP side which is the marketing of affordable homes.

The company oversees all the MoD land transfers and the sale of those properties besides all the day-to-day running of all the leases, tenancies and licenses that the government have in place. It collects rent, chases arrears, manages all the terms and conditions in the leases and the requests that come in for lots of information on these subjects.

Opportunities “Right now we have the Mount, KGV, the Victualling Yard and Lathbury Barracks Parade out for expressions for interest,” said Collado about the properties that are seeking investment and redevelopment. “Most of the current HMS Rooke base including the Officer’s Mess, some of the accommodation in there, a nursery and BFBS is being relocated north to Four Corners and Devil’s Tower Camp. What exactly the government is going to do there has not been established yet.”

The Police Barracks is one of the recent buildings that was put to tender which has been taken up by private developers Decor Construction in order to provide affordable accommodation via a different channel. Collado applauded their transparency: “They’re slowly moving forward and as soon as they get their planning permission they intend to start working. Sometimes you get cowboys that promise the world before everything deflates. But Decor are very formal, structured and know what they’re doing.

“There is a whole spectrum of different development opportunities out there. You could go for a very high end quality home where you make a lot of profit but need a lot of capital or affordable homes where there’s less return but obviously the construction is cheaper and less premiums are paid for the land.”

Making home-owners As a licensed developer, GRP recently announced affordable homes that were a testament to the Government’s commitment to provide housing for normal people under the co-ownership scheme, where it pays up to 50% of the cost of each apartment. “In the case of Beach Views Terraces and Mons Calpe Mews, the Government are not making any profit out of those developments,” said the GRP chief. “The price is actually based on the cost of construction in a place where the rest of the private sector property market is astronomical.

Thanks to this people can buy back what the Government has paid and move from a 50% to a 100% scenario before selling up and moving up the property ladder.”

In regards to the new properties GRP distributes, it is natural that some problems do arise and these have to be seen to. Many purchasers can have a traumatic start to home ownership even though it is implicit that everyone wants to live in peace once they get their new home. “It depends on the scenario and circumstances as it can get a bit difficult at times but it is all part of the job,” said Collado.

GRP has tried to assist, be it through the finalising process or when problems arise post-completion. This has had a major impact on completions and many problems were dealt with effectively. In order to deal with issues after purchase there is a need for a few volunteers to represent the owners in managing their estate for the benefit of all like any other democratic process.

“From an economic point of view it is in our interest to keep generating development so it is always good to see investors coming here. The problem is that we are running out of the land, and unless we reclaim more or regenerate other parts of town, which is very difficult, the problem will only get worse.

But for now we have a lot of infrastructural work to do at the Eastside so I am sure there will still be a lot of building to do at that site for the next ten years or so!”

The aged MoD properties are sold as is, with a whole series of deficiencies which might not be apparent at first sight, so the Government then finds itself having to fund repairs.

Whether it is an MoD or an ex-government property there is a certain procedure for every property that is put out for sale or development. “The chunk of the work comes in preparing documentation and dealing with property completions,” he said.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Small-boats marina is set to provide public promenade While construction is booming across the city of Gibraltar sometimes this has blocked off access to our coast which, with our seafaring past, is an integral part of our identity. It is for this reason and to create a new leisure area that the Government has invested in a high quality small-boats marina with mooring space for luxury yachts in the heart of our port.

“When we were in opposition we were very conscious of the fact that there was a need for berthing, as people used to come to see us all the time to complain about it,” said Minister for Development Joseph Garcia. “There was a very long waiting list held by the port department for people who wanted a berth for small boats and we made a commitment then to small boat-owners that we would build a marina with 700 berths to be able to break the back of this problem.”

Minister Gilbert Licudi was put in charge of the project and immediately set about planning a solution for a very real local problem: “Gibraltar is almost completely surrounded by water, yet we found that people couldn’t actually buy and own a boat, because there were no facilities at all for stowing such a vessel. Such limited facilities as there were, were fully engaged and fully occupied.”

Responding to need An inter-ministerial committee was set up to find out what was going to be done and where. As a result, the Waterport area was chosen for its potential to expand from the existing Coaling Island.

“What we wanted to do was something more than just a small boats marina,” said Licudi. “We decided to take this opportunity to do something more general for the community and the port department as well.”

A new wharf was agreed upon, which will add 600m of mooring space with commercial facilities that could be accessed on foot, by bicycle or motor vehicle.

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Licudi said the complex was therefore going to be put at the service of anyone who wanted to take a walk in our busy port: “What we found was that we were seeing a number of developments going up and a little bit of the seafront being lost so we’re giving back some of that access to the community so that this will be there for everyone to enjoy.”

This project will add to the small boats marina located on the inside of Coaling Island managed by the Cormorant Club, and replace the berthing facility which was washed away by a storm at Western Beach. Many of the boats kept at this far northern point were grounded and are some of the first to be allocated places at the new marina.

“There will be a road for vehicular access from Coaling Island all the way until the end of the wharf lined with parking facilities and a bench-lined promenade with the marina itself on the interior,” explained Licudi.

Engineering feat Of the 700 berths along the pontoons themselves, 400 will accommodate boats of up to six metres and 300 of upto eight metres. This will allow space for superyachts to be anchored on the outside of the perpendicular structure, within the jurisdiction of the port authorities, along a 400m long casing construction.

Licudi said the building of the wharf was a major marine engineering challenge: “There was a need to create a very solid base at the seabed by digging up a trench and filling it with rocks eight metres below sea level.

“At Coaling Island itself a series of concrete caissons were laid which are each almost 50m long using a honeycomb structure that actually floats to be able to take them out to the site where they’ll be located. There they were then filled by water so they sunk before the water is displaced by sand or rubble so a completely solid structure is created.”

This will be supplemented by durable concrete pontoons which have been brought into Gibraltar by lorry and create a high quality marina. The wharf structure sticks out four to five metres above sea level, with construction set to be completed for August this year.The whole project represents an investment of £24 million and this while being awarded to the lowest bid within the European Tender Process.

Licudi said locally-resident boat-owners who are registered with the port department will soon be taking their proud places in the new facility. “We were very careful to make

sure that the design of the marina did not interfere with shipping, especially as cruise-liners need to come in and perform a turning circle to use the inner wharf at North Mole. “Therefore we’ve been in very close liaison with the Captain of the Port to make sure that the distances that were required by the port department were adhered to between the marina and the North and Detached moles. It certainly won’t interfere with naval vessels coming into the dockyard, whether that is for naval vessels like Royal Fleet Auxiliaries or larger ships.”

Garcia, who is also Gibraltar’s Deputy Chief Minister, said the government is keen to maintain the local connection with the sea of which we have been so proud of for so many years: “Though this problem may re-occur again in the future certainly this will give it a good push into the future. I hope members of the public enjoy this facility as much as the boatusers themselves and I am sure it will prove a big hit with our residents.”

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INFRASTRUCTURE

The importance of involving telecoms providers early on

With our current construction boom in full swing it is vitally important for infrastructural companies to involve telecoms providers as soon as possible in their designs. The biggest challenge for telecommunications companies like Gibtelecom is precisely that, giving the customer the fastest service of the highest quality they may require, whether it is a new or refurbished build, residential or commercial property.

“The important bit is to have everything planned in such a way that will allow telecoms operators, such as Gibtelecom to be able to provide service to customers, and in the best possible way,” said Dwayne Lara, Corporate and Regulatory Manager. There is a lot of planning involved in “wiring-up” buildings and it is therefore very important for developers and telecoms operators to start talking about their exact requirements from the very beginning. In a lot of cases you need to have dedicated areas within buildings where your equipment and related infrastructure can go and that needs to be strategically set up as early as possible in the construction process, to the benefit of all.”

That is one of the most important messages Gibtelecom wants to put across to developers. “At the end of the day the tenant wants a service and it is vital they’re provided with that in the most effective way,” said Lara. “Not being able to deliver

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what the customer needs is certainly not something that Gibtelecom would like to happen”.

Depending on the building’s purpose and function, it is often the case that a communications room of an adequate size and design may be needed, in particular taking into account there may be more than one telecoms provider servicing the premises. The building could be constructed with residential, commercial or mixed purposes in mind, and all of its communication needs should be planned for. “We now live in a different world with more players in the market. It’s therefore more of a challenge now for developers to try to cater for all the different service providers out there,” he added.

Requirements In this respect, Gibtelecom aims to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ to the customer. In this way, identifying and resolving faults or other problems regardless at what stage the process is ‘misfiring’ is made more effective. “The situation is different when your telecoms network does not extend to the customer’s premises, usually because the “last mile” of wiring is under another party’s responsibility, such as the building’s management committee. In these instances, it may be more challenging to identify and rectify faults, although Gibtelecom will always work with all parties to the benefit of its customers,” he continued. “With telecommunications being a very specific industry it is also essential that developers and telecoms providers discuss and agree the exact technical requirements for the infrastructure to be used from the outset. This is more important when different telecoms providers use different technologies or standards which may not necessarily work with each other when providing service to customers” Gibtelecom has invested heavily in order to provide the best customer experience, with a dedicated call centre running 24/7 and technicians that provide a high level of service.

“Offering the whole package (internet, mobile and landline telephone) and knowing the business inside out is what attracts customers. We are not perfect, but we like to think that we have the means and ethos to try to overcome any challenges quickly and in the best possible way,” said Lara.

“We’ve got the experience, the tradition and know-how, and now we’re expanding globally, we are showing we’re punching above our weight in every sense.”

Customers taking on more commercial office space are often a different kettle of fish to residential properties and this has been one of the things that Gibtelecom, with its roots in the Gibraltar Telephone Department, and then Gibnynex through its various subsequent incarnations, specialises in.

Offices typically require a higher level of service, including the ability to continuously provide services even if faults arise. This is known as resilience, and allows for services to be

rerouted through other parts of Gibtelecom’s extensive and robust network seamlessly in the event of a fault developing.

“Business customers typically request fibre-optic cabling rather than the traditional copper wiring and particular higherend service level agreements,” explained Lara. “Businesses specify exactly what they want with so many lines and a certain type of service to be provided. So in terms of wiring up a building it needs to be handled differently to when providing residential services.”

As technology increases, equipment keeps shrinking and is more technical, so needs become more varied and specific, much in the same way as the arrival of the online gaming sector to our shores created the need to fast-track the installation process.

While some fifteen or twenty years ago it could have taken some weeks for business customers to be provided with highend bandwidth services, Gibtelecom took a proactive decision to invest quite heavily on having suitable infrastructure and ample bandwidth in place, and on demand. This means that when a customer comes in and asks for any particular type of service it is just a matter of getting it to them location-wise and not having to wait the many weeks as was previously the case,” said the manager.

Upgrades He is aware, however, that with telecommunications being a very dynamic industry, the client is always demanding more, be it within the realms of the hardware or bandwidth available. He said that with “the instant nature of things” created by the internet, the customer is getting to expect everything to be done instantly to the point where if a response to an email does not come in within a minute the immediate thought is that something is going wrong. Lara does see the freeing up of the market since its liberalisation around fifteen years ago as an advantage, as it opens up competition for services which means providers need to be ahead of their game to retain and grow their business.

He insisted that Gibtelecom never stands still, ensuring its management and employees take on board customer service research: “When we identify customer concerns, we address the issue and try to be proactive to have this ethos across the whole company that the customer is our most important asset as they are who drive our business.”

Under this push, 4G mobile technology, allowing for up to 150Mbps download speeds on the move, is the next big thing to come through. As part of Gibtelecom’s license conditions, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) has set a target of having 70% of the population covered with 4G by this autumn. Under this prerogative, the installation of mobile antennae, obtaining building and planning permits and the laying of infrastructure is now in progress. But rather than

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sit on their hands and wait for this new service to go up, Gibtelecom is already looking ahead to 4G+ which will, in ideal scenarios, double speeds up to 300Mbps. This is a far cry from the dial-up systems used only a decade or so ago which had to be connected directly to a phone line and speeds of 28K were commonplace.

Internet seems to be taken far more as a fait accompli these days, and despite popular misconception, the service is not directly affected by power outages, which have been more frequent of late as the community awaits a new power station. In these circumstances voice telephony systems keep on running. It is the cordless phones, and modems (including those transmitting wi-fi signals) which rely on electricity that inevitably fail.

To service its state of the art data centres at its Mount Pleasant and other premises, Gibtelecom has its own independent generators providing backup power in the event of Gibraltar power outages. The Company’s mobile base stations and other fixed-line remote sites also have their own backup power supplies.

Moreover, security in telecommunications is paramount for Gibtelecom, as Lara told us: “The mobile service is in itself an encrypted service while the majority of cordless phones at home use the DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) digital system, providing high levels of encryption. In terms of internet usage, it is more up to individual users to ensure they are safe. Gibtelecom often advises customers, either through its ‘Reach’ monthly newsletter or social media outlets, to ensure they use reputable and secure websites such as those showing a ‘padlock’ or ‘https’ on the address bar for financial transactions whenever possible. As Lara comments “You have to be aware there are many questionable and unscrupulous websites out there, and even spam emails promise many pounds if you provide them with your financial and other information.

Gibtelecom regularly sends out advice and warnings about these particular matters asking its customers to be wary.”

Expansion One of the limiting factors for closing the telecommunications gap is that there is not such an expansive critical mass in Gibraltar such as exists in much larger territories like Spain or UK. Nevertheless, people here still expect the same level of service and prices. “It is often a challenge to price services at a particular level as although Gibraltar is a much smaller place, the investment required to provide comparable levels of service is in relative terms higher than as seen elsewhere” said Lara.

The commitment to the customer is always to provide the service promised and often, said the Corporate and Regulatory Manager, and internet speed tests which appear

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to fall below the headline amount are often due to the cable array of a particular building or premises as opposed to a fault on the part of Gibtelecom. “With the new technology, good cabling in homes and offices is more important,” he expounded. “Sometimes initial installations or even extensions put in by the apartment owners themselves can cause unforeseen problems. At the same time you have to bear in mind that the internet will only operate at the lowest speed you are connecting to; there may be sites which are inundated by traffic or have poor servers. You can never go faster than the slowest leg you’re travelling on.”

The fact that Gibraltar is such a small market has simultaneously created a need for Gibtelecom to move into new markets especially as the laying of a stretch of submarine fibre-optic cable has placed it onto the global telecommunications map. “We are now expanding internationally,” continued Lara. “Gibtelecom is one of the founding shareholders of the Europe India Gateway (EIG) consortium, which operates a new 15,000Km high bandwidth state state-of-the-art fibre optic submarine cable from London to Mumbai, India. The EIG system spans three continents and has thirteen landing points, including Gibraltar, and links with other worldwide cable systems, complementing Gibtelecom’s other terrestrial and sea routes.

Participation in the EIG consortium affords new opportunities and allow Gibtelecom to enter into agreements with other global players, establishing Gibraltar as an international telecommunications hub. This can only be of benefit to customers and Gibraltar as a whole”.

On the local front, Gibtelecom has a new super-fast broadband product. This service, offering download speeds of up to 100Mbps will eventually cover most premises around the Rock, thanks to new remote sites offering the latest in technology. Known as “Fibre to the Node” (FTTN), this technology opens up a whole new world of online possibilities. It allows Gibtelecom to meet customers’ bandwidth demands, delivering faster speeds at lower prices to subscribers in Gibraltar. This development should also put Gibraltar at the forefront of Europe when it comes to internet access speeds ahead of the European Union “Digital Agenda” objectives for broadband speeds and coverage.

Technology is moving ahead at an awesome pace. For instance, the fusion of television, telephony and internet is a world apart from International Direct Dialling (IDD), introduced to allow users to bypass the operator some 30 years ago, and seen as a great advance in its time.

Nowadays the world is moving towards the “internet of things”, where almost every device will be interconnected and talking to each other. Gibtelecom is keeping up-to-date with what is happening in order to ensure, as in every other area, that the service is available before the demand arises.

rison ltd

po box 364, gibraltar | +(350)20075007 | info@rison.gi | www.rison.gi

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Hi-tech gas power station to be ready by 2017 The need for a reliable source of power generation that guarantees the power needs of a whole range of developments has been a lingering issue since the Gibraltar Electrical Authority (GEA) published a report calling for the upgrading of our ageing diesel-powered generators last decade.

When they started failing five years ago, alarm bells started ringing and despite the rental of power generators, power cuts have shaken the local community with a regularity which it had rarely experienced before.

So when Bouygues Energies & Services, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, signed a contract worth approximately â‚Ź100 million with the GEA for the design,

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construction and equipment supply of a state-of-the-art power station in Gibraltar, there was a collective sigh of relief.

The new plant will generate 80 MW of electricity with 3.4 MW of heat recovery with the contract including its operation and maintenance for one year.

Bouygues Contruction is a global player in construction and services with operations in 80 countries placed seventh in the latest ENR rankings of international contractors. Order intake for 2014 was at 11,831 million euros, nearly half of which was on international markets, helping raise sales growth by 6% to nearly 12,000 million euros. The company, that employs 53,500 employees across the world and has a large commitment to sustainable construction, was responsible for the Port of Miami Tunnel and the Stade Velodrome football stadium in Marseille.

In the framework of an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract, Bouygues Energies & Services will provide a “turnkey” power station, taking responsibility for design, construction and environmental impact studies, as well as the supply and commissioning of six 14-cylinder generator turbine units weighing 300 tonnes each (gas and oil). The contract also includes civil engineering, procurement of electrical and mechanical components, incorporation of a heat recovery system for exhaust gases, commissioning of the entire power plant, including testing, and connecting it to the grid.

Jean-Philippe Trin, Chairman of Bouygues Energies & Services, said: “This new contract proves the strength of Bouygues Energies & Services as a global operator on major energyproduction infrastructures, whether through EPC contracts or O&M (operation and maintenance) contracts. This state-of-the-art power plant, known as a dual-fuel plant, will be capable of using gas or light fuel oil and will operate in cogeneration mode in order to be as efficient as possible. It will guarantee energy self-sufficiency for the Rock of Gibraltar’s 30,000 inhabitants for the next thirty years.”

Three oil-fired power stations, all dating back more than thirty years, are responsible for electricity production in Gibraltar today. The turbines are difficult to maintain and no longer comply with European standards on pollution and noise.

The solution proposed by Bouygues Energies & Services for the new state-of-the-art power station meets the specific needs of the GEA. The new installations will be constructed in a confined area close to urbanised zones, and works will be carried out without disrupting the operation of the existing power stations.

Site works, which will involve 150 employees at peak periods, are scheduled to begin in August 2015, with handover scheduled for 2017. The design phase is currently getting under way, with reclamation set to start shortly.

“This is clearly the future for engines that produce electricity with the production of the least possible pollution,” said Chief Minister Fabian Picardo. “We were absolutely determined that Liquid Natural Gas would be the type of energy we would sign up to long before the general election was held and will settle the issue for the next 30 years for our community.

He said that in terms of the power station the final location of the LNG storage tankers were being determined and once this decision was taken, a specific assessment of that location would be made.

John Cortes, Minister for Public Utilities, said that Bouygues had “carried out its preparatory work and environmental impact assessment” confirmed work on the grounds for the power station would commence in the summer so that it could be operational by 2017.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Contractors beware: TSN’s Nick Culatto considers time-bar clauses

and their enforcement by the courts, JCT V FIDIC **The JCT Contract has traditionally been the most popular construction contract used in Gibraltar, whether it be for large scale, high value contracts such as the Airport Terminal and Mid-Harbour Rental Housing or smaller projects such as office refurbishments and small residential extensions. Sub-contracts are also traditionally back-to-back with the main contract and therefore the JCT form of contract has been prevalent in the construction industry in Gibraltar for a number of years now**.

Nicholas Culatto, Associate of TSN, considers the effects of notice provisions in Gibraltar’s 2 most commonly used construction contracts.

Throughout any construction works a contractor will almost inevitably have claims for either an extension to the time for completion of the works and/or additional costs. Under the JCT Contract, the Contractor must give notice “forthwith” to the Employer of any claim it may have as soon as the claim became reasonably apparent. But what happens if the Contactor fails to give the pre-requisite notice? Say the contractor encounters an unforeseeable ground condition but then only gives notice of their claim 6 months later. Does the Contractor’s claim become time-barred? The short answer is almost certainly that it does not.

Due to the severe consequences of time-bar clauses, the Court will on most occasions only decide that a claim is timebarred if the applicable contract specifically states that the failure of the contractor to comply with the notice provision

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will lead to the contractor’s claim being time-barred. The JCT contains no such provision. However the FIDIC Contracts (both Yellow & Red Books) do. FIDIC Contracts state, “If the Contractor fails to give notice of a claim within such period of 28 days, the Time for Completion shall not be extended, the Contractor shall not be entitled to additional payment, and the Employer shall be discharged from all liability in connection with the claim”.

The use of the FIDIC Contract is becoming more and more widespread within Gibraltar and whilst there are many noticeable differences between the FIDIC and JCT Contracts, the notice provisions are certainly ones which any contractor must be aware of.

Do the courts enforce these FIDIC time-bar/notice provisions?

Yes they do and they have done so, to the detriment of the contractor. Even in cases where the contractor may have a justifiable and valid claim but have failed to comply with the FIDIC notice provisions, such claims have been rejected by the courts. This recently happened in the case between OHL & Her Majesty’s Attorney General for Gibraltar, in which TSN were the instructing solicitors. In that case Mr Justice Akenhead strictly construed the FIDIC notice provisions against OHL and rejected one of their claims solely on the basis of late notification.

As to exactly when a notice needs to be given in order to not fall foul of the FIDIC notice provisions, that is a point deserving an article of its own. From the above however, it is clear that whenever a contractor is of the view that it may have a claim, they should take no chances and issue a notice of claim before it’s too late!

TRIAY STAGNETTO NEISH Barristers & Solicitors

Burns House, 19 Town Range, Gibraltar Tel: (+350) 200 79423 / 200 73530 • Fax: (+350) 200 71405 Email: tsn@tsnlaw.com • www.tsnlaw.com

Charles Lavarello LL.B

Guy Stagnetto LL.B

Nick Culatto LL.B LL.M

Charlie specialises in property and real estate and is widely recognised as one of Gibraltar’s leading lawyers in this field. He also deals with general commercial work and has represented developers in some of Gibraltar’s largest development schemes and has advised Government in relation to many Government-backed property schemes. He has also been instructed by banks in relation to large financing projects and has a wide range of knowledge on general commercial matters.

Guy’s experience and expertise in the field of construction law in Gibraltar is almost certainly unparalleled. He has advised Government, private developers and bankers on most of Gibraltar’s major developments in the last 2 decades. His experience varies from commercial to residential developments and includes the recently completed Gibraltar Airport Terminal on which he advised Government.

He has been involved for the Government of Gibraltar in the contract and resulting dispute relating to the Gibraltar Airport Tunnel for a number of years. The ensuing litigation resulted in an important and successful judgment of the Technology & Construction Court in England in April 2014 in favour of the Government of Gibraltar.

Since Nick joined TSN in September 2007 he has been involved in both contentious and non-contentious construction issues including EU public procurement. In 2010 Nick joined a prestigious specialist construction law firm in London where he worked for 2 years before re-joining TSN in October 2012.

Partner cal@tsnlaw.com

Charles Lavarello acts for developers, banks and other clients in real estate transactions. Market sources consider him the clear leader in property law in the jurisdiction, commenting: “If I were building an office block, I’d go to Charles.”

[ChambersandPartners.com] He has been the key legal adviser to the developers of Ocean Village for many years and has been at the leading edge of various aspects of property development work and finance over 20 years. His reputation and popular acclaim as the “go to” property specialist speak for themselves.

Partner gcs@tsnlaw.com

In addition to infrastructure and Government housing projects Guy advises regularly in the private sector. His work ranges from small residential and office extensions right through to multi million pound developments. These have included, for example, Montagu Crescent, the Atlantic Suites conversion, the Anchorage amongst numerous others.

Associate nc@tsnlaw.com

Nick has been involved in several high profile construction cases including Her Majesty’s Attorney General of Gibraltar v Gibralcon 2004 SA (formerly Bruesa Construccion Gibraltar SA) and OHL v Her Majesty’s Attorney General for Gibraltar.

Whilst in London he was involved in several multimillion pound arbitrations in Europe, Africa and Asia. On non-contentious issues Nick has advised various developers, with the most recent developments he has been involved in being Tarik Views, The Arches and Plata Villa. Nick also regularly advises on planning issues.

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RESIDENTIAL

Buena Vista PARK VILLAS: where contemporary design complements history in a luxury development

The development has been divided into 3 phases: Phase One consists of 9 townhouses and 6 detached villas, with pools and gardens. All Phase One properties were sold off-plan with purchasers having the ability to customise their homes.

Phase Two, will be the renovation of the former Barracks, which is a large stone block heritage building.

Phase Three will consist of a mix of villas and townhouses and will be offered with similar levels of customisation to Phase One. The internal specifications for Phase Three properties will, however, be higher, taking luxury to another level while also being larger than those in Phase One.

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Buena Vista Homes is the latest luxury development to be built in Gibraltar to attract the high end of the residential market on the Rock. We caught up with Barry Brindle, Managing Director of BV Homes Ltd and Robert Martin, BV Homes Sales Manager and asked them what it was about Buena Vista Park villas and townhouses that made them unique.

“We wanted each home to be bespoke, so we gave purchasers as much choice and flexibility as possible in designing their home. Each house is unique, which from a construction point of view is demanding but also from a purchaser’s point of view they have many challenging choices to make. The end result though, is that people get exactly what they want,” said Robert.

Barry said that purchasers can opt for completely open plan layouts or as many rooms as they desire with internal finishes from a wide range of high quality products. Barry said this was an important part of investor Pino Curcio’s vision: “Pino is funding the project and he wanted us to take the customisation options as far as we practically could. We are building luxury individual properties with gardens and pools, something which is in short supply in Gibraltar.”

“Phase Three will be the same except that the houses will be more individual, so it won’t be quite as easy to provide that flexibility of the structures.”

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TRANSFORMATION Robert said that the development met the demands of an increasing number of high net worth individuals wanting to live in Gibraltar as opposed to just conducting their business here: “There are now more of these very discerning customers who want high quality family homes where they can live for the majority of the year.”

“We are also trying to appeal to local purchasers who want quality bespoke homes. If people choose to live in Gibraltar we want them to have their ideal home,” said Barry. “The majority of the properties in Phase One have been bought to live in, rather than as an investment and most of the purchasers had some connection with Gibraltar, either through working, living or having lived in Gibraltar previously.”

The military history of the site is still very apparent. The large stone former barracks building (Phase Two) is set to be converted into one or two stunning properties with extensive grounds and unrivalled views. Externally the property will be fully restored in keeping with the heritage of the building.

Both internally and externally the purchaser will participate in its design and layouts.

The ‘stone block’ site is on an acre of land and the stunning views to and from the stone block will remain, in accordance with the Heritage Trust’s wishes. In addition to the building, BV Homes are keeping and restoring all other heritage buildings, monuments and structures on the development.

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The end result is that people get exactly what they want.

With Phase One nearing completion, the developers will start work on Phase Two (the barracks) with the work being completed in a year and a half. Phase Three, is expected to be ready in mid-2017.

One such building was the former Regimental Command Office, which has been incorporated into one of the townhouses. “Inside we kept the stone walls and the front and back facades, building a glass structure around it. This property is unique and beautifully blends history with contemporary design,� said Barry.

In summary, the Buena Vista Park development provides contemporary designed luxury living with the highest level of finishes and customisation that blend with the heritage-rich site in a location that has magnificent views over the Bay of Gibraltar to Spain and across the Straits to Africa.

INNOVATION The properties benefit from solar panels, rainwater harvesting and green roofs. These living roofs, apart from providing insulation and filtering pollutants, provide an important resting point for migrating birds.

While externally many of the properties have been designed to complement the heritage buildings, internally you will find modern contemporary design with home automation, which is able to control lighting, heating and ventilation, irrigation and multi-room audio and video – all from the convenience of a smart phone or tablet.

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R o Maintaining and enhancing the value of buildings is a continual challenge.

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BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 67

DECOR CONSTRUCTION LTD: About Us and What We Do Gibraltar is undergoing a period of economic growth.

There is increasing demand for housing from a growing population and a professional workforce relocating from overseas. Dependency on government to continue investing in large developments through reclamation or newly released MoD land is not sustainable for one of the densest cities in the world. Alternative options for development have to be considered utilising previously inaccessible or contentious sites.

Decor Construction Ltd has set out a strategy to address the rising demand for housing in Gibraltar that has seen us embark on a series of challenging private developments. We were the first company to fully embrace the HM Government of Gibraltar’s aspiration for the renewal of the Upper Town area, and undertake projects previously avoided by other local construction firms due to their complexity and the inherent heritage/environmental sensitivities.

Decor invests in sites that traditionally have not been considered for large developments and executes a comprehensive construction project that provides a very attractive return of investment. We mitigate the risks associated with the construction and logistic complexities of a site by the implementation of the latest techniques and materials in the global construction industry. Equally Decor incorporates the most innovative renewable energy and energy saving technologies into all our developments through our sister companies Helios Technology Ltd and DesElec Ltd. We believe it is our social responsibility to consider the heritage, environmental and natural characteristics of a site as existing stakeholders, and develop a design which meets the needs of these in synergy with the new occupants of

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our developments. Decor works closely with representative stakeholders in the community at the design stage and throughout construction to ensure all ideas, issues, opinions and legislation are considered and developed. Our company has a unique approach in Gibraltar that differs to how the traditional construction firms interact with the community, and it is this fresh approach, eagerness and community spirit that set us apart from our competitors.

Decor’s energetic introduction into the local construction market came through our committed investment in the Upper Town area. The Tarik Views development has seen us acquire six adjacent but independent dilapidated buildings in the vicinity of Castle Ramp and rejuvenate into twenty one modern flats. The development sold completely in 48 hours off-plan, in the same week as government announced Mons Calpe Mews and Aerial Farm, attracting a lot of interest from the local property market and our competitors.

A D V E R T I S I N G

With the first phase close to completion, the community are now able to appreciate our vision in bringing these prewar properties into the 21st century whilst preserving and enhancing the true heritage value of the buildings. This was achieved in a site with irreplaceable Genoese architecture, limited vehicular access and surrounded completely by long standing residents.

Decor was awarded the tender for the old Police Barracks site by the HM Government of Gibraltar and is currently at the final stages of detailed design for the development. A total of ten buildings in the Upper Town area shall be developed into two separate developments with more than sixty apartments.

F E A T U R E

The design of such a historical and iconic building in Gibraltar such as Police Barracks requires a balance between the preservation of the historical character of the existing site, and renovating to achieve modern and future living standards expected for the 21st century. This site will serve as an example of how private industry can give back to the community. A comprehensive scheme was presented and approved by the Development and Planning Commission.

The scheme is in line with our aspirations to include the wider community in our development by offering back some of the acquired land to the public as a central community hub in the Upper Town area which has never existed.

The Police Barracks development shall be the first instance in Gibraltar of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) process. BIM is a process involving the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of a construction site. The BIM concept envisages virtual construction of a building prior to its actual physical construction, in order to reduce uncertainty, improve safety, identify potential problems, and simulate and analyse potential impacts. The use of BIM is quickly emerging as the method of construction of large developments in the UK and Decor is eager to be the first company to push these processes and techniques into the local construction industry.

Decor wishes to grow and push the boundaries of the construction industry locally and eventually beyond our borders. Our foresight and commitment to invest in the Upper Town has placed us one step ahead of of our competitors on the Rock, with many now realising the true economic value of refurbishments in the area. However, Decor has to continue looking ahead and exploiting the next niche in the construction market locally.

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Our “Green Concept” Gibraltar’s growing city and encroaching wild life will inevitably result in a “clash” between modern urbanisations and nature.

Given the limited space available, we believe the government will inevitably have to start releasing areas of land previously thought “protected” for reason of heritage, environment or nature.

For Decor the Upper Town projects have been an investment in achieving a synergetic relationship between our heritage and 21st century living. The investment and execution of a development in an environmental or naturally sensitive site requires a unique construction approach to achieve a symbiotic relationship between our natural environment and urbanisation. Over the past six months Decor has developed our “Green Concept” as the next natural step in the evolution of the company and our exploration into the next niche opportunities locally and eventually beyond our borders.

The “Green Concept” focuses on the identification, study, acquisition and development of sites previously thought to be of high natural importance but offer some opportunity for an Ecological Development (Eco-development). Although the link between the natural environment and human expansion has been contentious in the past, modern construction techniques and technologies have allowed both to coexist in a manner where natural growth and quality of life is much improved.

Eco-development is not a new concept but its application in Europe has been primarily restricted to the Scandinavian countries. Eco-developments are communities with a strong ecological focus. An Eco-development might be urban, suburban or rural and they can range in size from a few to hundreds. Some Eco-developments attempt to shift existing

neighbourhoods or towns toward more sustainable living and an enhanced sense of community. Others are newly built, often featuring green or natural building techniques.

Decors “Green Concept” shall establish newly built Ecodevelopments using sustainable building techniques.

Sustainable building refers to a structural and implementation process that is environmentally responsible and resourceefficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. In other words, sustainable building design involves finding the balance between homebuilding and the sustainable environment. In some cases this may involve deviation from the traditional building practices exercised locally such as reinforced concrete and brick to be replaced by lighter weight materials such as steel and wood.

Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating sustainable structures, the common objective is that sustainable buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by; • Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources • Protecting occupant health • Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation However, an Eco-development must encompass much more than sustainable building. Decor must ensure that the sustainable design for the designated site takes all measures necessary to preserve, protect and if possible enhance existing natural bio diverse environments.

The local sites identified by Decor as possible areas for implementation of our “Green Concept” are rich in natural assets and potential, with striking geology and mature vegetation defining a true natural landscape. In most cases the sites have been spoilt by fragmented utilitarian functions with no respect to the geographical landscape. Our approach to the design of an Eco-development shall consider the following: • Mapping through comprehensive surveys of the existing natural and historical assets on the site using established teams of specialist subcontractors who have an affinity to the site or are experts in their respective fields. Considerations to be taking of the replanting of endemic species within and from outside the site.

• Analysis of the existing habitats of land and migratory animals to appreciate critical areas and roosts on the site using established teams of specialist subcontractors. Receive advice on schemes to ensure successful co-habitation of the wild life and the new eventual of the site.

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At the heart of any Eco-development is the concept of strong community. This requires more than just a mind-set for sustainable building. Successful communities are built by strong involvements between the residents, focusing on community participation not just consultation. The community needs must drive ecological development. Ecological development must meet community requirements including the community of life that is the eco-system.

• Exploration of the existing unique geologies of the site through thorough geotechnical surveys both above and below ground where necessary.

• Removal of derelict, unused or unnecessary buildings to demonstrate the potential buildable area without disturbing existing natural assets. The re-use of buildings (or recycling of buildings) applicable to the overall design concept and minimising on construction that could impact the integrity of the surrounding landscape.

• Using the natural and historical assets of the site as design parameters to inform a sensitive approach to the development of the scheme. Establishing elements such as key views and geological features to establish continuity of the site.

• Based on the existing landscape and thoroughfares key routes are established through the site to maximise accessibility for residents and their respective vehicles.

• The arrangement of new sustainable structures to create liveable environment within the site, taking advantage of existing dramatic landscape features to promote a relationship between built form and the ‘wild’ nature environment.

• Activating building roof space as a useable space taking advantage of the Mediterranean climate to provide private outdoor areas to residents. Orientation of the buildings for solar gains contributes to a passive energy strategy.

• Incorporation of dual aspect between the intimate relationship with the existing natural environment and the new landscaped communal areas. Delicate landscaping to create a dialogue between the existing mature vegetation and new spacial arrangements.

• Designing for the simplification of household recycling, incorporation of renewable and energy saving technologies at early design stage, re-use of waste and natural heating control measures.

The Decor “Green Concept” wishes to create communities where quality of life is paramount and an understanding of the social responsibilities associated with living in natural bio diverse environments is appreciated. Our intention is that through Eco-developments residents shall start the process of educating individuals and groups in the wider community on adapting our principles to how we should be living in the 21st century to ensure quality of life in harmony with the natural world around us. The intent is not to force the communities to form and deliver against targets but provide the new residents of these Eco-developments with the necessary tools to truly engage with the new natural environment in which they reside and contribute to the overall well-being of all stakeholders of the site.

In its insemination the implementation of these could be as simple as using electric cars or improved public transport, commencement of community programmes within the development to help endangered species of fauna or animals, creation of schedules for recycling which map to the everyday lives of the residents etc. Once the community gains momentum we envisage that our Eco-developments shall be perceived by the wider community as hubs that encourage quality of life and act as templates to other local developers on what can be achieved by thinking beyond the design and construction stages of a site.

Jason Cisarello Business Development Director, Decor Construction Ltd

BuildGibraltar Involved in the Construction industry? promote your company HERE.

contact us on +350 200 65225 mediasales@pdg.gi BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 71

Located in the heart of beautiful Ocean Village, Gibraltar, our spacious Showroom offers a fantastic selection of products from well-established brands including The Porcelanosa Group, Omega, JJO as well as Home Appliances from Siemens, Bosch and Neff.

At Lifestyle, we offer a wide range of top-quality kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms to suit all budgets. When you book a kitchen design appointment, one of our experienced designers will go through the planning and design of your kitchen, taking into account your own personal lifestyle needs and when you are happy with your 3D design, only then do we proceed to order your new kitchen.

Being a small operation, we are very much hands-on and offer a personalised service, guiding you through all aspects of your home improvement projects, whether it’s a brand new kitchen, fitted bedroom or new bathroom.

With a broad selection of floor and wall tiles, laminate and natural wood flooring, sanitary ware and accessories, we offer all the elements to complete your new project.

Bathrooms When choosing a new bathroom, it needs to be a combination of several things – practical, hardwearing, pleasing to the eye and stylish. Bathroom furniture sets the tone and style of the whole room and can transform a functional space into a pampering and pleasing haven!

At Lifestyle, we love designing bathrooms by creating the look and style you want within your budget. We

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A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

offer a complete range of bath and shower room products and accessories, from the lavish to our fitted and modular bathroom furniture range which is designed for small spaces.

We offer a complimentary Bathroom Design Service and all our bathrooms are expertly fitted by our own Fitting Team.

Bring us your bathroom measurements and your ideas and let us do the rest!

Bedrooms At Lifestyle, we supply a variety of wardrobe options from both Porcelanosa and JJO. Both offer stylish, contemporary wardrobes in a variety of shades and finishes. We offer a complimentary bedroom design service, just bring us your dimensions and your ideas and let us design your new bedroom.

KITCHENS JJO PLC - Established more than 100 years ago, JJO is a leading UK manufacturer in the Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Sectors.

Omega PLC - Omega PLC is a brand leader in the UK in the design and manufacture of high quality fitted kitchens using the very latest innovations and kitchen design features.

Gamadecor was founded in 1987 to produce top quality bathroom and kitchen furniture based on concepts of advanced design and technology.

Check out this absolutely gorgeous open plan kitchen, recently completed for an apartment in Royal Ocean Plaza. Another happy customer.

Showroom address: Units 22-24

Telephone: (+350) 200 66390

Ocean Village

Fax: (+350) 200 66392

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E-mail: wayne@lifestyledesign.gi

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Gibraltar

www.facebook.com/Porcelanosa

www.lifestyledesign.gi BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 73

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

ISOLAS Gibraltar has recently seen the launch of various exciting new developments, both residential and commercial, to include the new office developments and car parking facilities at the World Trade Centre, Victory Place, Midtown and NWI and the new residential units at Imperial Ocean Plaza, Midtown and the Government of Gibraltar’s own affordable housing schemes at Mons Calpe Mews and Beach View Terraces.

ISOLAS has successfully represented developers in residential and commercial developments to date including Europlaza, Atlantic Suites, Kings Wharf Quay 27 and Gibraltar’s leading office development, Europort as well as acting for international banks in the financing of property developments in Gibraltar and large scale real estate contract work for Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar.

Residential and commercial prices have increased steadily over the last 24-36 months. We have seen a rise in the number of purchases by clients, both to live in themselves and in buy-to-lets, the latter as a result of the strong demand for rentals in Gibraltar. The number of Gibraltar residency applications handled by our firm has also increased, particularly with regard to high net worth individuals who can benefit from the specialist tax incentives available in Gibraltar, available to both those who intend to work in Gibraltar in executive positions or who simply wish to retire here.

As from the 1st July 2014, all first or second time buyers in Gibraltar (which includes all non-residents), will benefit from a £5,000 saving on the stamp duty payable on all properties with a purchase price of £250,000 or over, as well as paying no stamp duty on those under £250,000 if a first or second time buyer (the usual stamp duty threshold being £200,000).

The new developments mentioned, as well as resales available on existing properties, combined with the recent stamp duty incentives to attract buyers to hop onto Gibraltar’s property ladder, are attractive to those looking at Gibraltar as a possible jurisdiction of choice.

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ISOLAS was established in 1892, making it the longest established firm in Gibraltar. Since then, and given our more than 120 years in the local legal profession, ISOLAS is today proud to be considered one of the leading law firms in Gibraltar. ISOLAS is consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the market by all the major international directories.

ISOLAS is proud of its reputation for combining expert legal advice with commercial pragmatism and we are valued by our clients and partners for being practical and confident in the advice we give, a natural consequence of the close, partnerled relationship with the client we work to achieve.

It is our focus on our interaction with the client that, we believe, forms the basis of our success in establishing longterm relationships with a significant proportion of our client base. The commerciality of the advice that we provide, close attention to cost considerations, our professional network in Gibraltar and beyond, as well as our dedication to leveraging information technology solutions for the benefit of the client, make for a compelling package of advantages over our competition in the local marketplace.

Sarah Miles Associate Expertise Sarah works alongside Elaine Lang in the property and conveyancing department; a thriving team within the firm, advising on all aspects of the purchase, sale and rental of both residential and commercial premises in Gibraltar.

ISOLAS as a firm is on the panel and authorised to act for all major banks and lending institutions in Gibraltar, which provides our clients with a legal point of contact on all ransactions in which mortgage finance is required as part of the purchase.

Sarah also deals with Gibraltar residency applications, including specialist tax statuses such as Category 2 status and High Executive Possessing Specialist Skills (HEPSS) - useful to high net worth individuals seeking residence in Gibraltar with the tax incentives available to such individuals under Gibraltar law.

An eye for detail www.gibraltarlawyers.com

In a competitive market, make sure you’ve got the right team on your side to see the deal through For further information contact: info@isolas.gi Portland House Glacis Road PO Box 204 Gibraltar Tel +350 2000 1892 Trusted since 1892 BuildGibraltar ISSUE 01 75

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F E A T U R E

Replacing period timber windows in a modern, sustainable manner With many traditional period properties in Gibraltar requiring careful and sympathetic renovation, Christina Marckx of QCL Projects, the independent dealer in Gibraltar for Black Millwork (UK) and distributor of Andersen Windows, discusses the various advances in sustainable timber options available for the replacement of original windows and shutters.

Gibraltar is fortunate to have a wealth of beautiful historic period buildings. Care is however required in the renovation of these buildings to ensure this is undertaken in keeping with the original period features and using sustainable materials. When done well this enhances the façade of these wonderful buildings.

Yet, walking around parts of Gibraltar it is unfortunately clear that in the past some of these properties have not been sensitively restored. Original timber windows have been replaced with less sustainable materials such as aluminium or uPVC to the visual detriment of these properties and the surrounding environment.

Timber sash windows, introduced from England in the 18th Century, are a particularly attractive feature of Gibraltar’s rich architectural history. Any period property from this era would be lacking without them and this is why it is so important when renovating a Georgian, Regency or Victorian property, that authentic timber replacement options are sought.

There is unfortunately still a common misconception that timber is “high maintenance”, but with the use of new advanced paint finishes and with the right minimal maintenance, this is not the case. Wood is also an excellent insulator and when maintained properly, very durable.

Additionally timber is the only truly sustainable building material, being carbon neutral, fully recyclable and biodegradable. Timber window frames are also much easier to repair post installation than windows made from other materials.

Where the decision is taken to replace period windows, the product range available through QCL Projects allows the specification of environmentally sustainable timber supported by the most recent advances in engineered timber technology, paint finishes and low-E glass with excellent U-values.

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One such option is the Black Millwork manufactured range of bespoke timber double-glazed windows and doors. Virtually any design can be accommodated to enable the creation of a custom-made product in complete sympathy with the original it is replacing. Shutters can also be fabricated to replicate many original designs.

In certain projects there may also be a requirement for the use of composite windows to enable the classic look of wood to be retained on the inside, with a low maintenance exterior.

Andersen Windows offer a range of such options. The exceptionally durable exterior is comprised of Permashield incorporating the pioneering qualities of Fibrex. This is created from a minimum of 40% pine wood fibre, which has been reclaimed from the factory floor.

When a sustainable solution to replace all the original sliding sash windows at Gibraltar House in London was sought, Black Millwork specified the Andersen Woodwright Insert Window. This enabled the beauty of the original period sash windows to be preserved, by retaining the original outer frame and replacing only the inner sash. It also allowed for a straightforward installation technique with all 22 windows installed in under a week.

With such a wide spectrum of advanced timber and composite options available from QCL Projects to replace period windows and shutters, the wonderful and unique heritage of Gibraltar’s beautiful buildings can be carefully preserved, without compromising on environmental sustainability or the high standards required in the 21st Century.

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commercial

Connecting business to the world The World Trade Center has been touted as one of the main commercial projects to add value to Gibraltar PLC with its international branding and business potential.

Brought over to the Rock by the developers of Ocean Village after a deal was struck with the Government, it has received a warm reception from existing and new companies on the Rock as Pete Burgess, Head of Sales and Marketing, told us.

He said his main issue now was trying to find space for people who want to move in: “If you look at the solid enquiries we’ve got it’s nearly full we’ve just started to market it internationally. We have a major FTSE 250 company that I am very confident is coming in as well as other locally-based companies.”

“The building is 65% occupied already and we’ve got serious enquiries on 28% more, so it is almost full before it is ready

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to open,” said Burgess. “There’s been a very positive response and a huge demand from a real cross-section of businesses from small companies to major corporates each taking from 50m2 to 3,000m2 of the overall area on offer.”

He said his main issue now was trying to find space for people who want to move in: “If you look at the solid enquiries we’ve got, it was nearly full before we even started to market it internationally. We have a major FTSE 250 company that I am very confident is coming in as well as other locally-based companies.”

Credibility Burgess has been actively promoting Gibraltar within the brand’s international network, going to the European World Trade Center Forum in Istanbul, April’s General Assembly in Manila and other WTCs in Hong Kong, Mumbai and Moscow to see how the Rock can act as a gateway into Europe for companies in those locations.

“These World Trade Centers are extremely well-connected in their own local markets so working with them we can identify the partners Gibraltar needs to leverage the network to its own benefit,” said Burgess. “There are 330 World Trade Centers around the world so once we identify a particular geographical area where Gibraltar feels there is an opportunity, we can contact the World Trade Centers there that are genuinely interested in what we offer.”

He said the World Trade Center brings “instant credibility” to Gibraltar on a world stage, as it is a major global organisation, opening new doors in London and elsewhere.

While he could not reveal the actual companies we would be seeing at the new offices, he said that the list goes “across the whole gamut of businesses in Gibraltar” including financial services institutions, asset management companies and accountants.

Burgess told BG that the World Trade Center is “a highly respected international brand” which carries along with it “a quality guarantee of the experience they’re going to have”.

Success “Where Gibraltar is of interest is because it’s new,” related the developer’s Head of Sales and Marketing. “For example, in Istanbul everyone was interested in finding out about Gibraltar, especially as the territory has the fourth highest GDP per capita in the world and an economy which is growing faster than China’s. People’s ears prick up and it’s a real story so there is already a huge amount of interest from people who want to work with us.

“Success breeds success and with so many stories of failure within Europe for someone to be able to talk about a success story in the way that Gibraltar can is very appealing.

Everybody likes to be associated with success so there’s no doubt that as soon as people start to understand how well Gibraltar is doing they will find ways they can get involved in that.”

With over 750,000 companies connected together in the World Trade Center network, Burgess stressed the need to communicate with that audience and a whole sequence of people who know other people. “It’s a network that can deliver,” he said. “So if you’re interested in trying to do business in a particular part of the world it connects you with someone who you can then talk to, who understands what it is you’re trying to do and has the knowledge to turn that to a real action plan. This final part is what’s lacking in a lot of business network nowadays; how do you turn those connections into specific actions?”

Connections The World Trade Center traces back to its origins as the Rockefeller family’s key tool to unite the globe through trade.

Burgess affirmed: “Fundamentally, it is the same today and in terms of Gibraltar what we’re looking to do is find those connections with different parts of the world which will facilitate trade.

“We’re trying to link that in with the existing promotional activity that is going on around Gibraltar, particularly with the finance centre, to see how we can dovetail the capability the World Trade Center network has into our own activities, to everybody’s benefit.”

The Gibraltar World Trade Center should be completed by mid-2016 at the latest, having recently arranged a partnership with the nearby five-star Sunborn floating hotel through which tenants will be able to enjoy advantageous rates on room hire.

“This is the first in a serious of agreements that we are looking to deliver on behalf of our tenants,” Burgess added. “We are delighted to be partnering with the Sunborn which has set a new quality benchmark for leisure in Gibraltar in much the same way as the World Trade Centre will set a new standard for Gibraltar’s working environment.”

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commercial

Bright lights of a big city The Midtown project is easily the biggest thing going up around the city centre over the next few months and years.

Tipped as the latest private-public venture to transform the area for the good of the community that live and work in Gibraltar, it is going to far outweigh most of the current developments in terms of location. We got a sneak preview of what we could expect from this iconic project after catching up with Marketing Director Naomi Quigley.

“A driving factor for the Midtown team is a genuine understanding of the evolving needs of our community as well as those of our environment,” said Quigley. “The developers of the project, CDI (Commercial Developments Investments Ltd) are from Gibraltar and have deep appreciation for the history and heritage we hold dear, but also what makes our unique lifestyle sustainable in the long term.”

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CDI is a conglomerate of local shareholders and directors that include the Montagu Group that was formed back in the 1980’s as part of the need to develop the newly reclaimed land at Montagu basin. In this vein it was responsible for the large majority of public and private buildings on the site as well as luxury homes at Sunset Close, Genista House, The Anchorage and King’s Wharf carrying out the neighbouring conversion of the King’s Bastion from generating station to leisure centre. This latest project is one of its boldest yet setting out with a mission statement to provide ‘modern living with traditional values’.

Their Marketing Director said that the pedigree of the group behind the Midtown project is what demonstrates that it has the best interests of Gibraltar at heart: “What makes this development different, is the dedication the particular individuals have in terms of producing a sustainable hub of buildings in the centre of the city that take into account the issues that we currently face and may do in the future. We have to make sure that everything that’s implemented has to go the distance for the next 150 years before new challenges present themselves.”

Within this framework the attention to detail has been immense, with the office and living parameters receiving sufficient investment so as to ensure communal areas do not lose their appeal especially as many residents will potentially also be working onsite.

Complementing reality As she points out, the reclamation process can only go so far, so the reality is that we have to look upwards for space.

But Quigley says that it is the way in which we go up that separates Midtown from the rest of the developments being constructed around the Rock: “Responsible development does not look to take advantage of every single scrap of space for commercial objectives but rather focuses on including green spaces and outside recreational areas, which are essential to a good quality of life for those living and working in urban areas”.

She said that the city’s status is clearly connected to its past, and for that reason the Montagu Group tries to be sensitive to heritage issues: “The team have chosen wherever possible to use materials that are environmentally friendly in a sustainable, progressive manner while being sympathetic to what we see in the old streets of Gibraltar. With the inclusion of solid, traditional materials to clad the building, people will see this very modern construction complements the surrounding area”.

Midtown’s emphasis on traditional design featured in a modern context is synonymous with a trend in architecture which emphasizes that both these seemingly opposite values can co-exist in one structure. Extensive solar panelling will contribute to the energy needs of the structure, agreeing with a construction imperative extended to new buildings by the Department of the Environment.

“We want to present this idea of modern living with the traditional values that make a home” said the Marketing Director. “This is reflected in terms of the materials, the heating systems that have been implemented and the environmentally friendly energy sources. The same thought and attention by the team has gone into each facet of the overall project as if they were developing their own home and had to choose what was going to be included for the benefit of one’s own family for the next 50 years.”

Midtown’s true value is the combination of both working and living spaces, while at street level, it will form a hive of activity to serve the centre of town with a collection of restaurants and shops opposite the green spaces.

“Gibraltar loves to go out and socialise so we have created areas for those purposes that will be key to this development,”

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Central parking The 1,000 space multi-storey car park being built for the Government will cater for the additional parking needs of the complex as well as the city centre itself, with a purpose-built coach park at ground level underneath.

“Rather than being notoriously plain, the cladding that is going up around the outside of the car park is a beautiful brushed stainless silver colour with gold features that will make it iconic on its own,” Quigley continued. “With Government having pledged that there will be extensive free parking in town (over and above the 300 that were released and sold within six weeks to private owners) it will clearly be a big boost to the town centre facilities available.”

The Midtown project will have its own parking facilities incorporated in the main building itself, which will provide spaces for residents and workers separate to the government structure.

The desire to minimise disruption has been an ongoing concern so the developers have tried to do as much of the groundwork simultaneously as possible with completion for the parking set for the end of the year and the offices to be completed by August 2017.

The Midtown development is clearly leading the way for central developments that are iconic while blending in with

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their surroundings. Modern building styles that reflect nearby heritage could now become commonplace in areas of low usage along city walls, enhancing their commercial value while encouraging sustainable living and working conditions.

She continued. “People in Gibraltar also tend to travel a lot and are aware of how high consumer standards are in other cities, so we want to replicate that cosmopolitan experience.

We will be bringing familiar brands that you associate with major cities and the developer’s desire to keep control of the commercial units through a management suite on site will ensure that the high standard they are demanding from the outset will not diminish.”

The developer’s desire is to attract people to the commercial area who live and work in the surrounding area as well as those who are resident, so a lot of thought has gone into the commercial units ticking the right boxes for these stakeholders.

WE ARE OPEN

Gibraltar's number one choice for kitchens, bathrooms and appliances 101 Gibraltar designs, sells, fits and “finishes” kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and professional flooring with ranges from The U.K., Germany and Scandinavia. Quality is our aim coupled with competitive pricing, excellent fitting and products from major manufacturers carrying many year’s Guarantees and Warranties.

Monday - Friday: 9am till 6pm Saturday: 10am till 1pm

101 Ltd will supply any appliance range and does not rely on any one manufacturer.

V ISIT T H E B I G G EST A N D B EST S H OW RO OM 101 Ltd Gibraltar, Unit 100, New Harbours Tel: (350) 200 41019 Fax: (350) 200 77053 www.101gibraltar.com

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Fewer features create that sought-after striking first impression than an expanse of beautiful wooden flooring which stretches out before you, welcoming you into a property which clearly prides itself on fine finishes. And this is exactly the first impression which In Vision Design & Construction, in its capacity as Gibraltar’s leading wood floor supplier, has been providing to properties across the territory – including most of the high spec homes of the Buena Vista villas project in the South District.

To truly appreciate just how top end the flooring which In Vision Design & Construction supplies is, the story starts at the sawmills.

Strict Selection Procedures In Vision Design & Construction works exclusively with trustworthy European sawmills which only use wood harvested from sustainable forestry projects. And the rough-sawn timber which is ultimately used must also pass strict selection procedures, being checked for size, grading and quality upon arrival at the factory. Regular checks are conducted to ensure that standards are being maintained.

Given that moisture content very much determines the stability of a wooden floor, In Vision Design & Construction only commissions state-of-the-art drying kilns, operated by highly skilled staff. This ensures that the wood always has the optimum moisture content for installation in any country worldwide. After the drying process, the wood is calibrated and selected in various grades and sizes, and is then put on stock in climate controlled warehouses. This wood will later be profiled into solid boards or top-layers for engineered floors, depending on the order of the time.

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Engineered Wood Flooring Constructed from multiple wood layers with a hard wood surface, engineered floors are the modern alternative to solid wood. They offer several practical advantages without compromising on the authentic real wood look and feel.

Because of its layered construction an engineered floor is more stable and may not be as affected by changes in its environment. This dimensional stability means there is less need to accommodate for seasonal movement when installing, a reduced acclimatization period, and it allows most engineered floors to be fitted above underfloor heating.

Chapel and Avance In Vision Design & Construction represents Chapel and Avance wood flooring, which is an incredibly stable, engineered wood floor. Not only do these floors come in many different colour tones but they are also factory finished which means that they are ready to be used immediately after they are fitted.

The Chapel and Avance planks combine the ease of laying an engineered floor with the structural qualities of a solid floor. Originally used in commercial

A D V E R T I S I N G

F E A T U R E

settings the heavy duty quality of Chapel and Avance engineered floors have become a firm favourite with domestic customers.

Generally this type of flooring comes in a variety of depths from 15mm – 20mm with a top veneer of hardwood 4mm – 6mm pressure bonded to a plywood backing layer. The cross layered construction of the plywood gives the plank increased dimensional stability and strength. They are sometimes referred to as semi solid floors because of their favourable comparison with solid wood flooring. The increased stability of the construction means the planks are the most versatile of all hardwood flooring to install.

This is the product for nearly all locations, even demanding ones, and unlike solid wood floors they can be used in basements. A super durable multiply core makes Chapel and Avance engineered flooring a first class structural choice.

These boards are manufactured by pressure and heat bonding of the hardwood wear layer to a stable plywood base. They all have tongue and groove (T&G) edges for accurate and simple fitting with the additional benefit of bevelled sides. They are incorporated into the design to prevent overwood or a lip at the meeting of two boards, which could not be sanded out because they are pre-finished.

Presently structural load bearing boards up to 360mm wide can be supplied. These can be fixed directly to existing floor joists in place of the original pine floor boards, however it is recommended that a layer of plywood is fitted first. All of the engineered planks can be re-sanded many times giving a very long life expectancy compared with solid wood flooring.

Their manufacture gives a significant saving in scarce hardwood since the multiply bottom layer is more easily grown and harvested. A true environmental product.

Finish During each production stage several quality-control checks are carried out. After air drying of the oiled finish, a final quality check is carried out by skilled staff before the floor boards are packed.

Packaging is chosen depending upon the transport method. Whether by road, sea or air your floor will arrive in perfect condition.

The result? A high-spec floor and a striking first impression to be proud of.

Choice Once a perfect solid or engineered board has been produced by state-of-the-art machines, it is time for the surface and colour finish. This may be carried out by machine or, in many cases, by hand.

These days there is a tremendous choice of wood types, colours, finishes and textures, all available in a variety of easy clean lacquers with natural and UV oils for simple maintenance. There is a very wide range of stains (from white to dark black) and wood types, with oak being the most popular.

In Vision Design & Construction Ltd. 25 City Mill Lane

T: +350 200 63308

GX11 1AA

M: +350 540 24415

Gibraltar

E: frankwin.invision@gibtelecom.net

f In Vision Design & Construction

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Government Approved Contractors MOD Approved Contractors • Specialist building & general refurbishment contractors.

• Specialist in structural works and wet trades including blockwork, brickwork,rendering, plastering and tiling.

Specialists in Commercial & Industrial Electrical, Plumbing, Air Conditioning and Automation.

Experts in Bespoke and Custom requirements/Installations.

We also undertake Electrical & Electronic CAD Design.

• Professional building service and quality workmanship.

• Family run business established in 2005.

FENIX

Office: +350 20044964 Mobile: +350 54919000 Email: otlltd@gibraltar.gi

in f

f On The Level Ltd

o@

fe nix gib.c o

m

Belilos Ltd.

CONSULTING CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS 2/1 Engineer Lane, Gibraltar PO Box 548 Tel: +350 20079548 Email: info@belilo.gi

www.belilo.gi

Wish to congratulate the editorial team of BUILD GIBRALTAR magazine on the launch of their new publication.

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Because you never get a second chance to make a first impression Opening in early 2016, World Trade Center will become the heartbeat of Gibraltar’s business community and the obvious home for any business, large or small, looking to relocate here.

Relationships will be forged and deals will be done in its corridors and coffee bars.

Can you afford not to be involved?

Another good reason to reserve your space now t: +350 200 74724 • e: enquiries@worldtradecenter.gi • w: www.worldtradecenter.gi

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